Written and directed by Lars von Trier from an idea by von Trier and Jenle Hallund, The House That Jack Built is the story of the life of a serial killer in the course of 12 years as he kills various people from the 1970s to the 1980s in the state of Washington. The film is a psychological horror film that explores a man’s love of killing people through five moments in his life as he sees his killings as works of art as the titular character is portrayed by Matt Dillon. Also starring Bruno Ganz, Uma Thurman, Riley Keough, Siobhan Fallon Hogan, Sofie Grabol, and Jeremy Davies. The House That Jack Built is a discomforting yet intense film from Lars von Trier.
Set in the 1970s and 1980s in the state of Washington through five events and an epilogue, the film is the simple story of the life of a failed architect who becomes a serial killer as he would kill a lot of people during the course of his life. It’s a film that explores a man’s life through the people he killed with many of the victims being women as he would talk about his exploits to another man off screen as well as view his murders as art. Lars von Trier’s screenplay is told through five chapters as it relates to life of its titular character (Matt Dillon) as he would have these off-screen conversations with a man named Verge (Bruno Ganz) such as the first time he killed someone to how his murders would get more sophisticated during the years as he becomes less compulsive and more refined. It also showcases his growing sense of disdain towards aspects of humanity as well as seeing his killings as works of art where he is determined to be more artistic. Yet, he would also cope in trying to create a house for himself as another form of artistic expression.
The direction of von Trier is stylish in its approach to telling a man’s life story yet it draws upon many ideas of artistry with inter-cut images of stock footage and such to play into Jack’s psyche and pursuit of artistic glory. Shot on various locations in Sweden and parts of Denmark including Copenhagen, the film does play into this small town world where Jack drives a shiny red-colored van as von Trier would shoot much of the film on different formats with much of the narrative presented in the 2:39:1 aspect ratio with some stock footage shot in the 1:37:1 full-frame aspect ratio. Much of von Trier’s usage of close-ups and medium shots are presented with hand-held cameras to get a sense into Jack’s own emotions as well as those he terrorizes during the course of the film. There are some wide shots as a few of them pay homage to Carl Theodor Dreyer’s film Master of the House in a sequence where Jack carries a body to his home in a darkly-comical speedy presentation. The direction also has von Trier borrow images from not just various pieces of art including footage from shorts and such along with von Trier’s own films but also paintings, sculptures, and designs of houses, churches, and other places to play into Jack’s fascination with art.
Even as it play into Jack’s obsession in creating the perfect house with the best materials he can find as his frustrations for perfection only fuels his desire to kill. The violence in the film is emphasized more on impact rather than gore and anything outrageous as von Trier shows these acts of violence to play into Jack’s obsession with its culture and how much control he can bring while becoming more sadistic in his pursuit of artistic triumphs. The film’s final incident and its epilogue play into Jack’s obsession as well as this individual he had been talking to throughout the film off-screen in Verge. The final incident would also reveal a room that Jack had been trying to get into in the ice locker he owned where he would store many of his victims as it would play into Jack’s desire of his own dream house but also a chilling epilogue that is more about Jack’s fate and the decision he makes as a man. Overall, von Trier creates a disturbing yet evocative film about the life of a serial killer and his pursuit of artistic glory.
Cinematographer Manuel Alberto Claro does brilliant work with the film’s cinematography as its usage of colors and low-key lights for scenes at the night and in some of the interior scenes add to the stark visual tone of the film. Editors Molly Malene Stensgaard and Jacob Secher Schulsinger do excellent work with the editing with its usage of jump-cuts, montages, and other stylish cuts to play into Jack’s journey. Production designer Simone Grau Roney and art director Cecilia Hellner do fantastic work with the apartment that Jack lives in as well as the ice house that he owns with boxes of frozen pizzas where he would store the body while von Trier would serve as art director for the film’s final scene. Costume designer Manon Rasmussen does nice work with the costumes as it is largely straightforward in what Jack wears with the exception of a red bathrobe he would wear late in the film.
Prosthetics makeup effects designer Love Larson does terrific work with the look of the corpses that Jack has collected in his storage ice room. Visual effects supervisors Pierre Buffin and Peter Hjorth do amazing work with the visual effects for some sequences during the epilogue that includes recreations of a few paintings. Sound designer Kristian Eidnes Andersen does superb work with the sound where it emphasizes on natural elements and sparse textures to play into the realism of the film. The film’s music by Victor Reyes is wonderful for its low-key approach to ambient music which is only used sparingly for its climatic epilogue while music supervisor Mikkel Maltha provide a music soundtrack that adds a lot of punch to Jack’s journey from classical pieces by Johann Sebastian Bach, Antonio Vivaldi, and Richard Wagner as a Bach piece is performed by Glenn Gould with the rest of the soundtrack features Louis Armstrong’s rendition of St. James Infirmary Blues, a cover of Ray Charles’ Hit the Road Jack by David Johansen in his Buster Poindexter persona, and David Bowie’s Fame.
The casting by Des Hamilton, Avy Kaufman, and Lara Manwaring is marvelous as it feature some notable small roles from Osy Ikhile as a victim of Jack’s late in the film, David Bailie as a friend of Jack’s in S.P., Jeremy Davies as an ammunitions salesman in Al, Jack McKenzie as a blacksmith in Sonny, Emil Tholstrup as a young Jack, Marijana Jankovic and Carina Skenhede as a couple of victims of Jack’s, Rocco and Cohen Day in their respective roles as the boys Grumpy and George, and Edward Spleers as a policeman during the film’s second incident. In the performances of some of the women that Jack would encounter, Uma Thurman as the annoying hitchhiking lady, Siobhan Fallon Hogan as a widowed neighbor, Sofie Grabol as a mother of two boys, and Riley Keough as a young girlfriend of Jack’s in Simple are excellent in their roles as the women in Jack’s life who would play into his evolution as a serial killer and his growing fascination in being an artist.
Bruno Ganz is phenomenal as Verge as this mysterious man who appears off-screen for much of the film as he converses with Jack about his killings and such where he is appalled by his actions but also intrigued as his appearance in the film’s final moments reveal something much bigger as someone who observes all of Jack’s exploits. Finally, there’s Matt Dillon in an incredible performance as the titular character as this architect whose desire to create a home for himself is troubled by his desire for perfection as his frustrations with humanity leads him to killing people where he sees it as an expression of art where Dillon displays some charm but also a manic energy into his role as it is a career-defining performance for Dillon.
The House That Jack Built is a spectacular film from Lars von Trier that features a sensational performance from Matt Dillon. Along with its ensemble cast that includes a great supporting performance from Bruno Ganz as well as its ravishing visuals, offbeat music soundtrack, and study of humanity, murder, and art. It’s a film that is definitely not for the faint of heart as it shows von Trier at his most carnal but also with a level of restraint into the acts of violence as well as studying the mind of a man who kills for the pleasure of it as well as to fill the void of his own artistic satisfaction. In the end, The House That Jack Built is a tremendous film from Lars von Trier.
Lars von Trier Films: The Element of Crime - Epidemic - Medea (1988 TV film) - Europa - The Kingdom I - Breaking the Waves - The Kingdom II - Dogme #2: Idioterne - Dancer in the Dark - Dogville - The Five Obstructions - Manderlay - The Boss of It All - Antichrist - Dimension (2010 short) - Melancholia - Nymphomaniac - The Kingdom: Exodus - (Etudes)
Related: Favorite Films #3: Breaking the Waves - The Auteurs #7: Lars von Trier
© thevoid99 2019
Written and directed by Andrew Niccol, Gattaca is the story of a young man who hopes to travel to outer space despite dealing with prejudice as he hides his genetic imperfections in a futuristic world where science determines who can succeed or not. The film is a mixture of sci-fi with elements of drama and mystery as it also relates to this young man who pretends to be another as he becomes a murder suspect. Starring Ethan Hawke, Uma Thurman, Jude Law, Loren Dean, Alan Arkin, Ernest Borgnine, Blair Underwood, Xander Berkley, Tony Shalhoub, Elias Koteas, and Gore Vidal. Gattaca is a riveting and evocative film from Andrew Niccol.
Set in a futuristic world where science determines one’s fate and when will that person die, the film revolves a young man who was conceived with genetic imperfections as he pretends to be another man in the hopes that he can travel to outer space. At the same time, he becomes a suspect over the death of mission control director as he learns that his younger brother is the detective leading the case. It’s a film that plays into this man who tries to prove that anything is possible in a world where one’s blood-type, urine sample, and such don’t determine one’s outcome. Yet, it is told from this man whose real name is Vincent Freeman (Ethan Hawke) who would take the guise of another man in Jerome Morrow (Jude Law) who would aid Vincent in achieving his dream.
Andrew Niccol’s screenplay is told largely from Vincent’s perspective as it begins with him learning that is one week away from actually achieving his dream to go into outer space. Yet, a simple eyelash found during the murder of the mission control director would be the one thing that might stop him as its first act reveals not just Vincent’s conception but also how he was already determined by science into when he will die and what ailments he will have. Once his younger brother Anton (Loren Dean) is born and is promised all of the things that Vincent will never have because Anton was conceived through genetic selection instead of the natural conception that brought Vincent into the world. Yet, it would be a simple swimming game of chicken where Vincent realizes that anything is possible as he would meet the paralyzed Jerome who was once a swimming star and take on Jerome’s identity while the real Jerome would provide the urine and blood samples Vincent would need.
Once Vincent’s story into how he became Jerome takes up much of the film’s first act, the second act does have a shift in tone where it becomes a mystery as Vincent not only deals with being a suspect but also falls in love with a co-worker in Irene Cassini (Uma Thurman) who is a valid but is unable to travel due to her own heart issues. Yet, she would learn firsthand about who Vincent really is just as Anton suspects that his own brother is the killer due to the loose eyelash from Vincent though Anton isn’t sure since he believes his brother had already died. Especially as his partner Hugo (Alan Arkin) looks into other possibilities as it relates to the prejudices that is hinged upon society where even Jerome was affected by it as he had all of the potential in the world to succeed but failure only made him bitter and depressed. Even as he copes with the pressure that was put upon him making him and Vincent equal of sorts.
Niccol’s direction is truly mesmerizing in terms of not just the compositions but also in presenting a futuristic sci-fi film without the need to make it totally futuristic. Much of it has Niccol shooting on various locations in California through some amazing architectural designs that does give the film a somewhat futuristic look. Niccol’s rich compositions and the way he places some of the wide shots definitely add something that a look that sort of makes it futuristic while he also goes for these kind of intricate crowd shots of exactly what Vincent does when he’s at work as it sort of plays into something that feels bureaucratic in some respects. Especially as Vincent would get a glimpse of how those with perfect genes would live and how he as an invalid would have to live and work where he would start off cleaning windows and then find his way to be part of this space program.
Niccol’s approach to close-up and medium shots are also entrancing as it also includes a few handheld moments such as a chase scene involving Vincent, Irene, and Anton. It plays into not just some of the mystery but also the drama and romance as well as Niccol’s approach to framing the actors where the flashback scenes involving a young Vincent and Anton where Vincent is in the foreground while Anton and their parents are in the background. It establishes how disconnected Vincent is with his own family as well as the world he lives in as the third act showcases him not only trying to reveal some truth to those close to him. Especially as it revealed exactly how he managed to defy the odds in a world that prevents him from achieving his dreams. Overall, Niccol creates a compelling and ravishing film about a young man prejudiced in a futuristic world where science determines one’s fate.
Cinematographer Slawomir Idziak does phenomenal work with the film’s very colorful cinematography with its usage of filters and lighting schemes for some of the film’s interiors while maintaining something that is quite ethereal in its images as it’s among one of the film’s major highlights. Editor Lisa Zeno Churgin does excellent work with the editing as it is quite stylish with some of its rhythmic cuts and usage of dissolves to play into the drama and suspense. Production designer Jan Roefls, with set decorator Nancy Nye and art director Sarah Knowles, does amazing work with the set design from the look of Jerome‘s home as well as the building where Vincent would work as Jerome along with the nightclubs and such the two would go to. Costume designer Colleen Atwood does fantastic work with the costumes from the suits that Vincent and Jerome would wear as well as the trench coat/fedora look of Anton‘s partner Hugo and the dresses that Irene would wear.
Makeup supervisor Ve Neill and key hair stylist Bette Iverson do terrific work with the look of Vincent prior to meeting Jerome and how they would have the same haircut. Visual effects supervisor Jerry Pooler does nice work with some of the minimal visual effects as it relates to spaceship that Vincent wants to board into. Sound editor Richard King does superb work with the sound to play into some of the chaotic elements of the film along with some of the textures that Vincent would endure in his training. The film’s music by Michael Nyman is incredible for its lush orchestral score with elements of minimalist and soft piano textures as it plays into the drama
The casting by Francine Maisler is marvelous as it features notable small roles from Dean Norris as a beat cop, Ken Marino as a sequencing technician, Maya Rudolph as a delivery nurse, Gabrielle Reece as a trainer where Vincent works at, Vincent Nielson and William Lee Scott in respective versions of the adolescent and teenage Anton, Mason Gamble and Chad Christ in the respective version of the adolescent and teenage Vincent, Blair Underwood as a geneticist, Jayne Brook as Vincent and Anton’s mother who loves both sons as she ponders what Vincent will do, and Elias Koteas as Vincent and Anton’s father who seems to favor Anton more than Vincent as he wants his eldest to be more realistic in his dreams. Tony Shalhoub is terrific in a small role as a mysterious man who would help Vincent attain the look and genetics to be Vincent.
Ernest Borgnine is superb as an invalid named Caesar who leads the clean-up crew as he tells Vincent not to clean too well as he would later provide evidence into who might be the killer not knowing that Jerome is really Vincent. Gore Vidal is excellent as the mission flight director Josef who tries to deal with the murder in his building while aiding the detectives. Xander Berkley is amazing as Dr. Lamar who would interview Vincent for the job as he looks into many background checks as it’s a very low-key yet mesmerizing performance. Alan Arkin is fantastic as Detective Hugo as an old-school detective who aids Anton into finding the killer as he initially suspects the invalid Vincent while he goes into looking for other clues. Loren Dean is brilliant as Anton as Vincent’s younger brother who has become a detective as he realizes Vincent is a suspect while wondering if his brother is really alive when he was supposed to.
Jude Law is incredible as Jerome as a former swimming star who has become paralyzed as he aids Vincent in achieving his dream while revealing what happened when he became paralyzed as it showcased how much he and Vincent have in common. Uma Thurman is remarkable as Irene as a woman who works with Vincent as she falls for him unaware of who he really is as she would also make some major discoveries of her own while revealing her own flaws in her genes despite being valid. Finally, there’s Ethan Hawke in a phenomenal performance as Vincent Freeman as a man who was conceived naturally with genetic flaws as he is determined to buck an unjust system while coping with his own ailments as well as what he had to do to overcome them.
Gattaca is a spectacular from Andrew Niccol that features great performances from Ethan Hawke, Uma Thurman, and Jude Law. It’s a film that isn’t just a compelling and provocative sci-fi drama but also a film that explores the ideas of what happens if science determines one’s fate. In the end, Gattaca is an enchantingly rich and tremendous film from Andrew Niccol.
© thevoid99 2015
Written and directed by Lars von Trier, Nymphomaniac is a two-part, five-and-a-half hour film (in its director’s cut) that explores the life of a self-diagnosed nymphomaniac who has endured an illustrious yet trouble sexual history as she tells her story to a man who analyzes her story. The third and final part of Lars von Trier’s Depression trilogy, the film is an exploration into the life of a woman who copes with her sexual desires which leads to dangerous territories as her attempts to find normalcy leads to depression and loss as the character of Joe is played by Charlotte Gainsbourg and Stacy Martin in two different ages. Also starring Stellan Skarsgard, Shia LaBeouf, Christian Slater, Uma Thurman, Jean-Marc Barr, Udo Kier, Connie Nielsen, Willem Dafoe, Jamie Bell, and Jesper Christensen. Nymphomaniac is a sprawling, provocative, and eerie film from Lars von Trier.
While it may be a film of a simple story involving the life of a nymphomaniac, it’s a film that explores not just the idea of sexuality and love but also how a woman tries to find fulfillment through sex in a life that is very turbulent. Told largely in a narrative where Joe tells her story to this man named Seligman (Stellan Skarsgard), it plays into Joe’s life with Seligman analyzing these events through eight chapters. Through the course of the story, Seligman becomes fascinated by her story with some curiosity and disgust while he brings in a lot of strange theories and ideas into the mix that intrigues Joe. There is a unique interplay between the two as Joe is telling her story as it would have this rise-and-fall scenario where the first half of the film is about Joe using her sex drive as a tool and feels liberated by it. Yet, her encounters with the idea of love, loss, and that liberation would eventually play into her downfall as she is desperate to regain her sexual drive only to go into great extremes which would cost her greatly.
Since it’s a two-part film, it plays into many ideas of what Joe would go through as she tell Seligman her story. The first volume plays into the first five chapters as it relates to Joe’s growing awareness of her sexuality and its power while trying to rebel against the concepts of love. Yet, her encounter with love through the man she lost her virginity to in Jerome (Shia LaBeouf) would complicate things as her attempts to maintain her lifestyle would cause trouble such as the disintegration of a couple’s marriage. The loss of her father (Christian Slater) would start the beginning of Joe’s own descent into depression where a reunion with Jerome would have some repercussions on her sex drive. The second volume plays into that further descent where Joe tries to regain that drive to great extremes as an encounter with a sadist named K (Jamie Bell) would destroy aspects of her personal life. Especially as she tries to conform to society to find fulfillment only to realize who she is as she delves into a darker world.
The script would maintain a back-and-forth scenario where Seligman would give his analysis on this as he is someone that is this intellectual that has read many books on all things in the world such as religion, art, and sex. Yet, he is this observer for the audience as he’s baffled by some of Joe’s antics while Joe would refute some of his analysis while being respectful into his views no matter how overly-analytical they are. That’s where many questions into Seligman come into play where many of Joe’s own hypotheses about him prove to be correct. Though there’s moments where Seligman questions Joe’s views and her behavior in the story, he never judges her while also playing to questions about the people in her own life.
Lars von Trier’s direction is definitely stylish as he goes all-out in terms of visual presentation as well as impact in the way he presents sex at its most graphic. While it’s a film that explores the world of sex and a woman’s sexuality, von Trier definitely aims to create something that is intimate in some parts as it relates to the scenes between Joe and Seligman. Yet, he would also create compositions and images that are very entrancing from his usage of computers to drive the camera movements in some scenes such as the moment Seligman finds the beaten Joe. The direction also includes a lot of hand-held shots and some stylized shots where von Trier would also play with aspect ratios in order to convey some of the drama that occurs. Particularly in the sequence in the film’s third chapter where the young Joe deals with a very distraught wife (Uma Thurman) of one of her lovers.
The direction also has von Trier use different film stocks and visual motifs to play into the film where some of the images are grainy while the fourth chapter sequence of Joe meeting her father for the last time is in black-and-white. The use of wide shots and close-ups are quite evident in the way von Trier plays with the idea of loss and despair where some of the images he uses definitely serves as a homage to the films of Andrei Tarkovsky. Some of that sense of beauty plays into von Trier’s portrayal towards sex where some of it is quaint while other moments are confrontational. Notably in the presentation of the sex as it’s very no-hold-barred where anal sex, oral, and all sorts of sexual ideas do come into play yet von Trier uses some very crafty visual effects, with the help of body doubles, into presenting the images of penetration and other graphic sexual scenes. Some of it is shocking as it does get quite intriguing in the first volume yet things do meander during the sixth chapter in the second volume due to some of the dramatic elements in the film while some aspects do get ridiculous. Especially where Seligman would question into the validity of Joe’s story.
The extended cut of von Trier’s version of the film definitely showcases more graphic scenes as it involves close-ups of genitalia and other shocking moments. Most notably a sequence in the film’s seventh chapter that will definitely test people in terms of its mixture of sexual and violent content as the result will either disgust people or bring unintentional laughter. The film does definitely go full circle towards the end as it ends in some respects to the beginning as it’s followed by Seligman trying to comprehend Joe’s story. Especially as it raises questions into the ideas of sex as well as what would happen if a man was in Joe’s position to be a nymphomaniac. Overall, von Trier creates a very disturbing yet evocative film about a woman’s chaotic sexual life.
Cinematographer Manuel Albert Claro does brilliant work with the film‘s very stylized cinematography from the usage of digital polish in the film‘s fourth chapter segment to the use of grainy camera footage for some scenes in the final chapter as well as some unique lighting shade and schemes that add an entrancing look to the film. Editors Molly Marlene Stensgaard, Jacob Secher Schulsinger, and Volume I editor Morten Hojbjerg do amazing work with the editing with its inspiring usage of montages to play into some of Seligman‘s own analyses as well as some stylish jump-cuts to play into the dramatic tone of the film. Production designer Simone Grau, with set decorator Thorsten Sabel and art director Alexander Scherer, does fantastic work with the different sets created such as the apartment that Seligman lives where Joe would tell her story to the different homes she would live in throughout the journey in her life.
Costume designer Manon Rasmussen does excellent work with the costumes from the array of stylish clothes the young Joe wear to the more conservative look she would wear as she gets older. Hair/makeup designer Dennis Knudsen does terrific work with the look of Joe in her assaulted state as well as the hairstyles the younger version would wear along with the deformed right ear of a character Joe would meet late in the film. Visual effects supervisors Peter Hjorth and Yoel Godo do great work with the visual effects from the realistic look of the sexual content and body doubles that is superimposed on the main actors in the graphic scenes of sex plus a few moments to play into the sense of loss that surrounds Joe.
Sound designer Kristian Eidnes Andersen does superb work with the sound to convey some of the darker moments in the film as well as some of the intimate moments in the drama to play into Joe‘s despair. Music supervisor Mikkel Maltha does wonderful work in assembling the film’s soundtrack as it features a diverse array of music from classical pieces from Johann Sebastian Bach, Ludwig Van Beethoven, Camille Saint-Saens, George Frederic Handel, and Richard Wagner plus music by Steppenwolf, Rammstein, Talking Heads, and Charlotte Gainsbourg doing a cover of Jimi Hendrix’s Hey Joe.
The casting by Des Hamilton is incredible as it is a massive ensemble as it features appearances from noted von Trier regulars Udo Kier as a waiter in the sixth chapter, Jean-Marc Barr as debtor in the film’s final chapter, Jesper Christensen as Jerome’s uncle in the second chapter, and Jens Albinus as a train passenger the young Joe gives head to in the film’s first chapter. Other noteworthy small roles include Kate Ashfield and Caroline Goodall as two different therapists Joe meets in the seventh chapter, Tania Carlin as a sex addict Joe meets in the seventh chapter, Shanti Roney as an interpreter in the sixth chapter Joe hires to make a meeting involving two African brothers, Michael Pas as an older version of Jerome, Saskia Reeves as a nurse in the film’s fourth chapter, Felicity Gilbert as a secretary the young Joe worked with in the second chapter, and Hugo Speer as a married lover of Joe whom she tries to push away only to cause a lot of trouble into his marriage.
In the roles of the younger versions of Joe, Maja Arsovic and Ananya Berger are wonderful in their roles to display the sense of innocence and curiosity for the young women. Connie Nielsen is terrific as Joe’s very cold mother who is often very distant yet manages to be quite intriguing as she would shape elements of Joe’s growth. Sophie Kennedy Clark is superb as the young Joe’s friend B who shares her love of sex as she would compete with Joe in a game of who can fuck more men while alienating Joe with talks about love. Mia Goth is fantastic as Joe’s apprentice P in the film’s final chapter whom she takes in as she would show her the ropes of her job late in the film. Uma Thurman is remarkable as the wife of one of Joe’s lover who arrives to her apartment as she is terrifying in displaying a woman coming apart as her family is being destroyed.
Willem Dafoe is brilliant as a crime boss named L who hires her in the final chapter as well as introducing her to P. Jamie Bell is amazing as the very disturbing sadomasochist K who would help Joe regain elements of her sexuality but at a great price as it’s a very troubling yet exhilarating performance from Bell. Shia LaBeouf is excellent as Jerome Morris as the man whom Joe would lose her virginity to as she would encounter him numerous times as she would eventually marry him only for their marriage to disintegrate as LaBeouf displays some restraint into his performance. Christian Slater is great as Joe’s father as a man who loves tree as she is someone whom Joe adores as she copes badly with his death as there’s a sensitivity and warmth to Slater’s performance that is entrancing to watch.
Stellan Skarsgard is phenomenal as Seligman as a book-smart intellectual who listens and analyzes Joe’s story as he displays some humor and humility to his performance as it’s also full of charm as it’s one of Skarsgard’s best performances. Stacy Martin is sensational as the young Joe as this woman who is quite wild and full of energy as she seeks to find fulfillment in her sexuality as she later copes with the aspects of loss and growing up into adulthood. Finally, there’s Charlotte Gainsbourg in a tremendous performance as the older Joe as a woman desperate to regain her sexual drive only to deal with depression and loneliness as Gainsbourg does great work in her narration as well as play into Joe’s sense of indifference and viewpoints about the ways of the world with such coldness as it’s one of her finest performances.
Nymphomaniac is an astonishing yet harrowing film from Lars von Trier that features great performances from Charlotte Gainsbourg, Stacy Martin, and Stellan Skarsgard. While it’s definitely a bold and ambitious that is flawed at times, it is still very compelling for the way it explores a woman and her sexuality as well as her descent into depression. It’s also a film that is willing to ask some very big questions about women and their idea of sexuality where it will definitely raise discussions about the concept of nymphomania. In the end, Nymphomaniac is a rapturous and spectacular film from Lars von Trier.
The Element of Crime - Epidemic - Medea - Europa - The Kingdom I - Breaking the Waves - The Kingdom II - Dogme #2-Idioterne - Dancer in the Dark - The Five Obstructions - Dogville - Manderlay - The Boss of It All - Antichrist - Dimension (2010 short) - Melancholia - The House That Jack Built - The Kingdom: Exodus - (Etudes)
Related: The Auteurs #7: Lars von Trier
© thevoid99 2014
Directed by Terry Gilliam and written by Gilliam and Charles McKeown, The Adventures of Baron Munchausen is the story of a 18th Century German nobleman and his many adventures as it is told in a whimsical fashion where many wonder if they’re true. The third part of a trilogy based on the ideas of imagination, the film is a sprawling tale where a man tries to fight against forces while coming to terms with his own drawbacks as a hero as he is played by John Neville. Also starring Eric Idle, Sarah Polley, Uma Thurman, Oliver Reed, and Jonathan Pryce. The Adventures of Baron Munchausen is a spectacular and absolutely adventurous film from Terry Gilliam.
The film explores the world of a famous German nobleman during the Ottoman Wars of the late 18th Century where he is a man known for his great adventures where he returns to save a town ravaged by war as he felt responsible for being the one that caused all of it. With the help of a young girl named Sally (Sarah Polley), Baron Munchausen would travel through different worlds to retrieve the men who had helped him in his many adventures yet is battling age and the new realities of his quest as it plays into the idea of fantasy vs. reality. Especially as Munchausen is trying to tell this story of his adventures while a young girl wants to know if anything he is saying is true. All of which plays into a man wanting to die as he deals with a world that is becoming more complicated as there are forces who have other ideas about conflict and such.
The film’s screenplay by Terry Gilliam and Charles McKeown definitely play into this idea of a man wanting to live a life that no longer exist as the men who had been with him in his adventures now live very different lives without the powers they once had. The film begins with theater actors led by Sally’s father (Bill Paterson) who tell Munchausen’s story until the real Munchausen appears to reveal that the reason this small town is at war is all because of a wager that Munchausen won which upset the Turkish sultan Mahmud I (Peter Jeffrey) who wanted to cut Munchausen’s head off. Once Sally realizes that the man who claims to be Munchausen is real, she would stowaway in his hot-air balloon to help him retrieve his old friends for the film’s second act.
Yet, the fast-running Berthold (Eric Idle), the strongman Albrecht (Winston Dennis), the midget with strong ears and wind-power in Gustavus (Jack Purvis), and the sharpshooter Adolphus (Charles McKeown) aren’t the same as they share a sense of resentment towards Munchausen as they reluctantly join him. Throughout the course of the film, Munchausen would face many challenges that plays into mythical figures of the universe such as a delusional moon-king (Robin Williams), Vulcan (Oliver Reed), and all other things that would tempt Munchausen into believing he’s young and still part of the world until he would anger the wrong people and put himself and Sally into situations that would test their will. Especially as it comes to the climatic confrontation with the Turkish army where Munchausen is still caught up in his idea of defeating the Turkish in such a way that it almost seems unreal and more of a fantasy.
Gilliam’s direction is quite lavish in the way he tells the story as it opens up with scenes of an 18th Century town being destroyed where people are watching a performance of Munchausen’s story in this theater that is on the verge of collapse. It is part of this world that Gilliam sets up where he definitely infuses a lot of dark humor into the film where it’s very offbeat as well as fanatical considering how troubled Munchausen is as he wishes for death due to his old age. Adding to that feeling of death is the presence of the Angel of Death who would appear to reveal that it’s Munchausen’s time to go only to be evaded by many circumstances. Much of Gilliam’s compositions include a lot of wide shots and medium shots plus some stylish usage of some crane shots and visual effects that play into this world that is extremely off-the-wall in terms of what the universe is like.
Gilliam’s approach to set pieces definitely showcase that sense of a world that is quite strange where he plays with the idea of mythological figures like Vulcan and Venus (Uma Thurman) as Munchausen would charm the latter much to the dismay of the former. There is a sense of a world where it does have this idea of nostalgia and fantasy that Munchausen seems to try and hold on to where he becomes oblivious to what is happening in the real world thinking it will be okay for a while. The film’s third act would definitely play into that idea of reality vs. fantasy as it is this constant struggle that Munchausen would face as he would deal with the realities of war and death in a manner that only Munchausen would do no matter how fanatical he can be. Overall, Gilliam crafts a very sensational and whimsical film about a heroic man dealing with aging and living up to the idea of fantasy.
Cinematographer Giuseppe Rotunno does brilliant work with the film‘s very colorful cinematography with its usage of lights for some of the war sequences set at night as well as some of the interior settings and a chilling scene inside the body of a sea monster. Editor Peter Hollywood does excellent work with the editing with its usage of jump-cuts and other rhythmic cuts to play into the film‘s humor and action sequences. Production designer Dante Feretti, with set decorator Francesca Lo Schiavo and supervising art director Massimo Razzi, does phenomenal work with the set designs from the lavish staging of the moon city as well as the European town that Munchausen needs to protect as well as the stage play and other sets as it‘s one of the film‘s major highlights.
Costume designer Gabriella Pescucci does fantastic work with the film‘s lavish costumes from the ragged period clothing of the people of the town as well as the costumes made for the stage shows as well as Munchausen‘s uniform. Hair/makeup designer Maggie Weston does superb work with the different aging makeup that Munchausen would endure in his journey as well as the look of the younger versions of his gang. Special effects supervisor Richard Conway does terrific work with some of the film‘s visual effects with the movement of the moon-king‘s floating head as well as some of the shots set in outer space. Sound editor Peter Pennell does superb work with the sound effects as well as the layering of sounds in the battle scenes and other lavish sequences. The film’s music by Michael Kamen is amazing for its bombastic score that is quite triumphant at times in its orchestral setting as well as comical to play into the film’s humor.
The casting by Francesco Cinieri, Irene Lamb, and Margery Simkin is just incredible as the film features some cameo appearances from Sting as a soldier, Terry Gilliam as an irritating singer, Ray Cooper as a functionary for the city official, Alison Steadman as an actress with a baby, and Robin Williams in an un-credited appearance as the delusional yet funny the King of the Moon. Bill Paterson is terrific as the theater company leader who is also Sarah’s father as he struggles to get his play on Munchausen going. Charles McKeown, Jack Purvis, and Winston Dennis are excellent in their respective roles as Adolphus, Gustavus, and Albrecht as well the actors who would play these characters to add to that sense of fantasy vs. reality. Valentina Cortese is wonderful in a dual role as Queen Ariadne who is a former lover of Munchausen as well as a stage actress that is in love with Munchausen. Peter Jeffrey is superb as the Sultan Mahmud I who starts a war only because of a wager he lost to Munchausen.
Uma Thurman is amazing in a dual role as the young actress Violet who is trying get some attention as well as the role of Venus whose beauty is indescribable as she is charmed by Munchausen. Oliver Reed is fantastic as the eccentric yet hot-tempered fire god Vulcan who welcomes Munchausen only to be upset when Munchausen gets to dance with Venus. Jonathan Pryce is great as the very smarmy city official the Right Ordinary Horatio Jackson who wants to maintain order in the city as he is also someone that represents the dark realities of the world. Eric Idle is brilliant in a dual role as Berthold and the actor who played him as a man who can run with great speed as he loses him memory for a short time only to feel resentful towards Munchausen for abandoning him.
Sarah Polley is phenomenal as Sally as this young girl who would join Munchausen in his adventure as she would be this person who would try to ground him into reality and also make him not give up. Finally, there’s John Neville in a remarkable performance as the titular character as an aging hero who is caught up in living in a world that no longer exists while wishing for death due to the harsh realities that he’s dealing with as it is a truly astonishing performance from Neville.
The Adventures of Baron Munchausen is a tremendously extravagant and incredible film from Terry Gilliam. Armed with a great ensemble cast as well as amazing technical work from its crew, the film is truly a visual feast filled with dazzling set pieces and images. Especially as it’s backed by this compelling story revolving around the ideas of reality vs. fantasy as a man deals with age and death. In the end, The Adventures of Baron Munchausen is a dazzling and exhilarating film from Terry Gilliam.
Terry Gilliam Films: Jabberwocky - Time Bandits - Brazil - The Fisher King - 12 Monkeys - Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas - The Brothers Grimm - Tideland - The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus - The Zero Theorem - The Auteurs #38: Terry Gilliam
© thevoid99 2014
Written and directed by Woody Allen, Sweet and Lowdown is the story about a 1930s jazz guitarist who prides himself in being the second-best guitarist in the world as he falls for a mute woman as he hopes to rise to the top. While it’s a largely fictional film, the film moves back-and-forth from a dramatic narrative to a documentary where Allen and many jazz experts talk about this man. Starring Sean Penn, Samantha Morton, Uma Thurman, Anthony LaPaglia, Gretchen Mol, Brad Garrett, and John Waters. Sweet and Lowdown is a remarkable film from Woody Allen.
The film explores the life of a musician named Emmet Ray (Sean Penn) who was considered the greatest jazz guitarist in the early 20th Century, aside from Django Reinhardt whom Ray idolizes. Told by Woody Allen, filmmaker Douglas McGrath, and other experts in the world of jazz in a documentary format of sorts, they all talk about the legend of Ray and his exploits where he falls for a mute woman named Hattie (Samantha Morton) and deals with his role as an artist. For all of his gifts as a guitarist, he’s also very selfish as he gambles his money, cheats on women, and do all sorts of things. Throughout the entirety of the film, Allen and others talk about Ray’s story as it is told in a dramatic format where the character ventures into many moments in his life including a failed marriage and a relationship with this mute woman who loves him but he claims that he can’t fall in love with her because he’s an artist.
While Allen’s screenplay helps structure the story from documentary form to dramatic, it’s his direction that gives the film a sense of style in the way the story is told. Many of the interviews with Allen and the others are shot in a very straight, slight close-up while the rest of the film in the dramatic re-telling of Ray’s story is given a lot of style. Notably as Allen uses a lot of close-ups, wide shots, and some gorgeous compositions to play up that world of the 1930s including scenes set in New York and New Jersey. Even as Allen creates one notable sequences about a moment where Ray tries to confront his cheating wife Blanche (Uma Thurman) as it’s told in multiple versions depending on how real it might be. It would all play to some of the humor and drama that Allen wanted to create as the overall result is a truly enchanting and witty film about a great jazz guitarist and the selfishness that would play into his faults.
Cinematographer Zhao Fei does exquisite with the film‘s very colorful and vibrant cinematography from the look of the daytime exterior locations to the use of lights for some of the film‘s interiors in day and night. Editor Alisa Lepselter does nice work with the editing from the use of a few montages to some stylish dissolves to help play into some of the film‘s emotions. Production designer Santo Loquasto, with set decorator Jessica Lanier and art director Tom Warren, does amazing work with the set pieces from the look of the clubs and places Ray and the other characters go to as well as the crescent moon chair that Ray tried to arrive in for one disastrous show.
Costume designer Laura Bauer does brilliant work with the costumes from the suits that Ray wears to the different array of clothes that Hattie wears. Sound editor Robert Hein does terrific work with the sound from the atmosphere of the shows to the crazier moments in some of Ray‘s antics. Music arranger Dick Hyman creates an amazing soundtrack filled with many jazz pieces to play up the feel of the time while many of the guitar work is performed by Howard Alden.
The casting by Laura Rosenthal and Juliet Taylor is superb for the ensemble that is created as it features some notable appearances from filmmaker Douglas McGrath and jazz experts Ben Duncan and Nate Hentoff talking about the legend of Emmet Ray. Other noteworthy small performances include John Waters as a hotel owner, Brad Garrett as a mob leader, Gretchen Mol as a date of Ray late in the film, and Brian Markainson as Ray’s drummer Bill Shields. Anthony LaPaglia is excellent as mobster whom Blanche falls for and cheats on Ray while Uma Thurman is wonderful as Ray’s wife Blanche who is intrigued by his gift as she marries him while coming up with ideas for a novel.
Samantha Morton is phenomenal as Hattie where Morton doesn’t say a word throughout the film yet lets her facial expressions and body language do the acting as she brings a nice innocence to her character as well as how much she really means to Ray despite his selfishness. Finally, there’s Sean Penn in a magnificent performance as Emmet Ray as Penn brings a nice sense of wit and charm to his role as someone who proclaims himself to be an artist. Penn’s approach to comedy as well as drama allows Ray to be a very complex individual no matter how despicable he can be at times while Penn also shows he can mimic playing guitar very well in what is certainly is one of his great performances.
Sweet and Lowdown is an outstanding film from Woody Allen that features incredible performances from Sean Penn and Samantha Morton. The film is definitely one of Allen’s most touching and entertaining films as well as a unique piece into the world of jazz. It’s also a film that plays into the world of the artist and how they can fall into their own egos and let the good things in life pass them by. In the end, Sweet and Lowdown is a sensational film from Woody Allen.
Woody Allen Films: What's Up Tiger Lily? - Take the Money and Run - Bananas - Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex* (*But Were Afraid to Ask) - Sleeper - Love and Death - Annie Hall - Interiors - Manhattan - Stardust Memories - A Midsummer's Night Sex Comedy - Zelig - Broadway Danny Rose - The Purple Rose of Cairo - Hannah & Her Sisters - Radio Days - September - Another Woman - New York Stories: Oedipus Wrecks - Crimes & Misdemeanors - Alice - Shadows and Fog - Husbands and Wives - Manhattan Murder Mystery - Bullets Over Broadway - Don't Drink the Water - Mighty Aphrodite - Everyone Says I Love You - Deconstructing Harry - Celebrity - Small Time Crooks - The Curse of the Jade Scorpion - Hollywood Ending - Anything Else - Melinda & Melinda - Match Point - Scoop - Cassandra’s Dream - Vicky Cristina Barcelona - Whatever Works - You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger - Midnight in Paris - To Rome with Love - Blue Jasmine - Magic in the Moonlight - Irrational Man - (Cafe Society)
The Auteurs #24: Woody Allen Pt. 1
- Pt. 2 - Pt. 3 - Pt. 4
© thevoid99 2013
Directed by Richard Linklater and written by Stephen Belber from his play, Tape is the story of two old friends meeting at motel where an old girlfriend appears accusing one of them of raping her several years ago. Told in real-time, the film explores the sins of the past as well as the idea about remorse. Starring Ethan Hawke, Robert Sean Leonard, and Uma Thurman. Tape is a provocative yet engaging film from Richard Linklater.
The film revolves around a reunion between two old high school friends in the high-strung drug dealer Vince (Ethan Hawke) and the filmmaker Jon (Robert Sean Leonard) where the latter is attending a film festival where he’s set to premiere his new film. The two talk about their love lives including a relationship with an old girlfriend named Amy (Uma Thurman) where Vince tricks Jon into telling a story about what he did to Amy as Vince finally calls Amy. Amy eventually arrives to tell her side of the story where truths are blurred. Set in one night at a motel room in Michigan, the film plays into the idea of truth and fiction where it all plays into what happened one night that ruined not just the friendship of these two men but also the sins they committed in the past.
Stephen Belber’s screenplay is told in real-time where it plays into the intensity of this discussion about rape as well as who is telling the truth and who is lying. Instigating everything is Vince who was Amy’s boyfriend but the two had broken up before high school ended where she went out with Jon. Vince is carrying a grudge towards Jon as he tries to blackmail him only to get into trouble with Amy to see who is really more remorseful for their actions. Jon isn’t sure if he really did something while Amy’s appearance only blurs things as the screenplay is filled with very fast, talkative dialogue to play out the emotions and intensity of the conversations.
Richard Linklater’s direction is very intimate in the way he shoots the film in one entire place for its entire duration where there’s also an element of claustrophobia. Since it does have this air of theatricality, Linklater employs a very loose, hand-held shooting style to capture some of the drama where it would intensify as the story progresses. A lot of the shots include some close-ups and some stylized angles while Linklater just keeps things simple and to the point without needing a film score with the exception of Brenda Lee’s I’m Sorry in the final credits. Still, Linklater creates an atmosphere in the drama while putting his actors in the frame to play out the emotions in these conversations. Overall, Linklater creates a dazzling yet entrancing film about truths and lies.
Cinematographer Maryse Alberti does brilliant work with the film‘s grainy yet tinted digital camera look to create something that feels intimate but also stark in terms of the things that are being discussed. Editor Sandra Adair does excellent work with the editing to play out some of the conversation with rhythmic cuts as well as the drama where it would intensify. Production designer Stephen Beatrice and set decorator Christopher P. Peroni do nice work with the look of the motel room that Vince stays in to showcase his troubled lifestyle as well as the claustrophobia it brings out. Costume designer Catherine Marie Thomas does nice work with the costumes as it‘s mostly casual with the exception of the suit that Jon wears. Sound editor Ira Spiegel does superb work with the sound to play out the intimacy of the setting as well as some of the intense moments involving Vince’s antics.
The film’s small cast is fantastic as its trio of actors each give remarkable performances. Uma Thurman’s performance as Amy is one that is full of wit but also one that is shady about whether she really knows the truth or is she just trying to see how can give in and be remorseful. Robert Sean Leonard as Jon is very engaging for the way he tries to admit about his wrongdoings and flaws as a man where he’s also the film’s conscience of sorts in trying to just do things right and not have everything go wrong. Ethan Hawke’s performance as Vince is definitely one of Hawke’s most wild performances as a high-strung man who is so un-likeable in his actions and comments on everything that Hawke brings a lot of charisma and energy into his performance.
Tape is a marvelous film from Richard Linklater that features superb performances from Ethan Hawke, Robert Sean Leonard, and Uma Thurman. The film is a very smart yet provocative piece about the sins of the past as well as the idea of truth and lies. It’s also a film that doesn’t play to conventionality by keeping things simple in its minimalist presentation. In the end, Tape is a wonderful film from Richard Linklater.
Richard Linklater Films: It’s Impossible to Learn to Plow by Reading Books - Slacker - Dazed & Confused - Before Sunrise - subUrbia - The Newton Boys - Waking Life - School of Rock - Before Sunset - Bad News Bears (2005 film) - A Scanner Darkly - Fast Food Nation - Me and Orson Welles - Bernie (2011 film) - Before Midnight - Boyhood - Everybody Want Some!! - The Auteurs #57: Richard Linklater Pt. 1 - Pt. 2
© thevoid99 2013
Written and directed by Quentin Tarantino, Kill Bill is a two-part film about a woman who was left for dead as she is awaken from a four-year coma to kill the man who tried to have her assassinated as well as the assassins themselves. The film is a journey into a woman seeking vengeance for her near-death experience as it blends all sorts of genres from action, samurai films, martial arts films, and westerns as playing the lead role of the Bride is Uma Thurman. Also starring Lucy Liu, Vivica A. Fox, Daryl Hannah, Michael Madsen, Michael Parks, Sonny Chiba, Julie Dreyfus, Gordon Liu, Samuel L. Jackson, and David Carradine as Bill. Kill Bill is a thrilling and exciting epic film from Quentin Tarantino.
Kill Bill Vol. 1
After being nearly killed by the Deadly Viper Assassination Squad during her wedding ceremony, the Bride is comatose as she doesn’t wake up until four years later as she decide to seek revenge for those that tried to kill her including her boss Bill. After her recovery, the Bride travels to Okinawa to meet with the great swordsmith Hattori Hanzo (Sonny Chiba) to create a sword for her. She then travels to Tokyo to go after the first of the four assassins in Yakuza head O-Ren Ishii (Lucy Liu) and her army known as the Crazy 88s. The Bride also decides to go after the assassin Vernita Green (Vivica A. Fox) as she’s closer to reach her target.
Kill Bill Vol. 2
Following news of what the Bride is doing, Bill decides to warn his estranged brother Budd (Michael Madsen) about the Bride coming. With the Bride reaching Budd’s trailer, she gets an unexpected surprise from Budd as he decides to take her sword and bury her alive inside a coffin. Budd calls fellow assassin Elle Driver (Daryl Hannah) about the news as he plans to sell her the Bride’s Hanzo sword for a million dollars. Elle makes the deal but has a big surprise for Budd as she suddenly finds herself dealing with the Bride as the two fight it off. Finally set to go after Bill with information from Esteban Vihaio (Michael Parks), the Bride finally reaches Bill’s home as she learns something that shocks her. After that, the Bride and Bill finally discuss why all of this had to happen.
The films are essentially a two-part story of a woman seeking revenge for the beating she took that left her comatose for four years where on the day of her wedding, she was pregnant with a child. After being awoken from that coma, she decides to after the four assassins that tried to have her killed along with the man who ordered the assassination as she revealed in the opening scene of the film that the baby she’s carrying is his. The loss of what would be their child as well as being comatose for four years would drive this woman known as the Bride to go after the people that tried to kill her as it would be this big long adventure that would span through many places and blend into many different genres.
Quentin Tarantino’s screenplay, that features contributions from Uma Thurman for co-creating the Bride character, has a plot that is very simple yet he creates a story that doesn’t delve into a traditional structure. The first film is told in a non-linear style where it begins with the Bride’s confrontation with Vernita Green that is a short but a very poignant scene that reveals a lot about Green and what she’s become. It’s a moment where the Bride shows some remorse for her actions as the first film moves into very different scenes that includes a back story about O-Ren Ishii told in an animated sequence about how she became an assassin after the death of her family in the hands of a Yakuza lord. Another character that is presented in the first half of the story, aside from Hattori Hanzo, is Ishii’s right-hand woman Sofie Fatale (Julie Dreyfus) who was also present at massacre.
While Tarantino employs a non-linear narrative structure for the most of the first film, it’s restrained for the second film where he begins the story with the wedding rehearsal that Bill attends that would lead to the attack. It also reveals more about the other assassins in Budd and Elle Driver where the former has become a broken-down bouncer for a strip club. Another element that is revealed in the second film is a story about the Bride’s training with a cruel martial arts teacher named Pai Mei (Gordon Liu). Once the story progresses where the Bride finally reaches Bill, a twist is revealed that would impact everything the Bride had gone through where she and Bill finally have their own confrontation. Notably as it revealed why the Bride left Bill in the first place during an assignment.
It’s not just the structure and the stylish dialogue that makes Tarantino’s screenplay so interesting but also the way he creates the characters. Tarantino does give each assassin each time to establish their characters where O-Ren Ishii is a Yakuza lord, Vernita Green is a mother, Budd is a broken-down strip club bouncer who lives in a trailer in Texas, and Elle Driver who is still an assassin that is very close to Bill. Each have their own history with the Bride which does create some complications for the way she deals with her enemies though there are those that she just truly despises. When it comes to Bill, Bill is not a traditional antagonist as he’s someone who truly cherishes the Bride as what he did to her was part of who he is as a killer.
Tarantino’s direction is definitely stylish in terms of the presentation he wants to create for both films. The first film is largely a samurai picture with a mixture of action and suspense that includes an anime-style animated sequence to reveal the story of O-Ren Ishii. Through some very stylish shots for the fight scenes, Tarantino captures the intensity of the fights including the Bride’s battle with the Crazy 88s as it includes some beautiful moments such as the fight inside a blue room. Tarantino knows when to slow things down to establish what is going on as he creates some lovely moments for scenes in Tokyo along with some interesting shots such as Elle’s visit to the hospital to poison the already comatose Bride.
For the second film, Tarantino employs a different mix of genres such as martial arts and the western where the latter plays out to the world of Budd and the eventual fight between the Bride and Elle. In the scenes set in Texas, Tarantino employs a wider canvas to tell the story such as the wedding rehearsal and the scenes involving Budd in his trailer. Tarantino adds an element of suspense to these moments when the Bride is set to confront Budd that is later followed by this chilling moment of horror when the Bride is buried alive inside a casket as Tarantino maintains this very claustrophobic framing as if there’s a possibility that she won’t survive. Still, Tarantino knows the Bride has to survive where he creates some very captivating moments that would lead to the ultimate confrontation between herself and Bill.
The way Tarantino directs the ultimate final meeting between the Bride and Bill definitely lives up to everything that had been expected except there’s a lot of surprises in store. There’s a bit of low-key humor but also heartfelt moments that shows that Tarantino can create something that is very innocent. This is of course followed by tense, dramatic moments involving Bill and the Bride where it’s all about why Bill had her killed and why the Bride had to seek revenge. It is truly something that is unexpected by Tarantino as he creates something that is more than a revenge story but also a love story. Overall, Tarantino creates a truly exciting yet engrossing genre-bending epic that does a lot to entertain and more.
Cinematographer Robert Richardson does great work with the very vibrant and colorful photography from the stylish looks of the scenes in Japan in the first film to the more gritty look of the desert scenes in second film. Editor Sally Menke does brilliant work with the editing to create some amazing cuts for the film‘s action along with some slow, methodical cuts for the film‘s suspenseful moments. Production designer David Wasco, along with set decorator Sandy Reynolds-Wasco and art director Daniel Bradford for both films, does excellent work with the set pieces such as the hospital room that the Bride was in plus the wedding chapel and Budd’s trailer while the Japanese scenes featured work by production designer Yohei Taneda and set decorator Yoshihito Akatsuta for the set pieces such as Hanzo’s bar and O-Ren Ishii’s home base.
Costume designers Kumiko Ogawa and Catherine Marie Thomas do wonderful work with the costumes from the Bruce Lee-inspired look of the Bride‘s jumpsuit during her battle with the Crazy 88 to the clothes that O-Ren Ishii and Elle Driver wears. Visual effects supervisor Frankie Chung does superb work with the minimal visual effects used for some of the film‘s action and fight scenes that occur in the film. Animation director Katsuhito Ishii does terrific work with the first film‘s lone animated sequence that tells the story of O-Ren Ishii‘s early life. Sound editor Wylie Stateman, along with sound designers Peter Michael Sullivan, Scott Sanders, and Harry Cohen (for the first film) plus Dino Dimura (for the second film), does fantastic work with the sound to capture the atmosphere that occurs in both films such as the sound effects in the Bride‘s battle with O-Ren‘s army as well as the chilling scene inside the coffin in the second film.
The films double-soundtrack features a wide array of music that plays up to mesh of styles of the genre. Supervised by Mary Ramos for both film soundtracks and Michelle Kuznetsky for the first film soundtrack, the first volume consists a wide range of music from genres like 60s garage rock, score music, 70s soul, and electronic music from acts like Nancy Sinatra, Bernard Herrmann, Louis Bacalov, Meiko Kaji, Isaac Hayes, Neu!, Al Hirt, Santa Esmeralda, Gheorge Zamfir, Quincy Jones, and some original score pieces by Wu-Tang Clan’s the RZA who provides a mixture of hip-hop and electronic music to play up the momentum of the battle.
The second soundtrack consists a different style of music ranging from 70s soul, pop, country, and electronic music from Luis Bacalov, Malcolm McLaren, Meiko Kaji, Charlie Feathers, the RZA, and Johnny Cash. The film also features original music by Robert Rodriguez and his band Chingon as it plays to a mixture of Tex-Mex blues and mariachi while the soundtrack also features Spaghetti Western-inspired music that largely features the work of Ennio Morricone. Both soundtracks are definitely among some of the best usage of music ever assembled for these films.
The casting by Koko Maeda and Johanna Ray is incredible for the large ensemble that is created for both films. From the first part, there’s notable small roles from Michael Bowen as the perverted hospital orderly Buck, Sakichi Sato as a man the Crazy 88s humiliate that they call Charlie Brown, Yuki Kazamatsuri as the House of Blue Leaves proprietor, James Parks as the policeman Edgar McGraw, Jun Kunimura as a Yakuza head who insults O-Ren, and Ambrosia Kelley as Vernita’s four-year old daughter Nikki. From the second film, there’s wonderful performances from Helen Kim as an assassin that tries to kill the Bride, Larry Bishop and Sid Haig as people who work at the strip club Budd works at, Chris Nelson as the Bride’s fiancee Tommy Plympton, Bo Svenson as the reverend at the Bride’s wedding rehearsal, Jeannie Epper as the reverend’s wife, Samuel L. Jackson as the organist that was to play at the wedding, and Perla Haney-Jardine as a little girl that the Bride meets.
Other noteworthy small roles include Michael Parks playing a dual role as Texas Ranger Earl McGraw in the first film and Bill’s old friend Esteban Vihaio in the second, Gordon Liu as the Crazy 88s leader Johnny Mo in the first film and the cruel teacher Pai Mei in the second one, Chiaki Kuriyama as O-Ren’s sadistic bodyguard Gogo Yubari, Julie Dreyfus as O-Ren’s lawyer Sofie Fatale, and Sonny Chiba as the legendary swords maker Hattori Hanzo. In the roles of the former DiVAS assassination team, there’s brilliant performances from Vivica A. Fox as Vernita Greene who tries to make amends with the Bride, Lucy Liu as the skilled yet darkly-humored O-Ren Ishii who has a unique history with the Bride, Michael Madsen as Bill’s broken-down brother Budd who is filled with a lot of regret as he deals with the Bride, and Daryl Hannah as the vicious Elle Driver who seems to have a lot of animosity towards the Bride.
The late David Carradine is incredible as Bill as this very charismatic yet sadistic man who deals with the Bride’s vengeance as well as everything that happens where Carradine brings a performance that is truly engaging as he creates an antagonist that is quite likeable. Finally, there’s Uma Thurman in an outstanding performance as the Bride as a woman hell-bent on getting revenge for what happened to her. Thurman’s performance is full of complexities as a woman who has some charm as well as someone with remorse for her actions as there’s also a chilling restraint to her role. It’s definitely Thurman going all out and more as she creates a performance that is simply iconic.
Kill Bill is a magnificent two-part film from Quentin Tarantino that features a magnificent lead performance from Uma Thurman. With its amazing blend of genres, stylish production value, a killer soundtrack, and a brilliant ensemble cast that includes David Carradine, Lucy Liu, Daryl Hannah, Vivica A. Fox, Michael Madsen, and Sonny Chiba. Both films as one is truly an unforgettable experience as though both films does have something for everyone. In the end, Kill Bill is a phenomenal two-part film from Quentin Tarantino.
Quentin Tarantino Films: Reservoir Dogs - Pulp Fiction - Four Rooms: The Man from Hollywood - Jackie Brown - Grindhouse: Death Proof - Inglourious Basterds - Django Unchained - The Hateful Eight - Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood
Related: The Auteurs #17: Quentin Tarantino - Growing Up with Quentin Tarantino
© thevoid99 2012
