Written and directed by Jim Jarmusch, Mystery Train is a trilogy of stories set in Memphis, Tennessee that involve different visitors arriving into the city where they encounter all sorts of things in the city. One story entitled Far from Yokohama revolves around two Japanese tourists going on a pilgrimage to learn about the American blues. The second entitled A Ghost is about an Italian widow who stays at a hotel overnight. The third and final story called Lost in Space is about the adventures of an Englishman and his two friends. Starring Youki Kudoh, Masatoshi Nagase, Screamin’ Jay Hawkins, Cinque Lee, Nicoletta Braschi, Elizabeth Bracco, Rick Aviles, Steve Buscemi, and Joe Strummer. Mystery Train is an extraordinary film from Jim Jarmusch.
The film is essentially about different strangers who find themselves in the city of Memphis, Tennessee where they would all later stay at a hotel all in the course of one strange day. The first of which involves a young Japanese couple in Mitsuko (Youki Kudoh) and Jun (Masatoshi Nagase) who arrive to the city on a pilgrimage on the American blues where they arrive to Memphis earlier than they expected where they argue over who was better, Elvis Presley or Carl Perkins. The second story involves an Italian widow named Luisa (Nicoletta Braschi) who reluctantly stays in the city overnight where she shares a hotel room with a woman named Dee Dee (Elizabeth Bracco) who just left her boyfriend. The third story involves an angry Englishman named Johnny (Joe Strummer) who decides to go into a drunken adventure with his friends Will Robinson (Rick Aviles) and Charlie (Steve Buscemi) that gets bad. All of which has these characters staying in different rooms at a hotel run by the clerk (Screamin’ Jay Hawkins) and a bellboy (Cinque Lee).
Jim Jarmusch’s screenplay has these three very different stories all take place in a very simple narrative yet there’s moments where the three stories connect as characters from one story briefly interact with another and so on. Yet, these are all characters who feel sort of entranced but also lost in this strange city of Memphis as it is a character in the film. Mitsuko and Jun are these two young Japanese tourists who want to see Sun Studios and Graceland where Mitsuko is very upbeat but Jun is more reserved about everything as he doesn’t smile. Luisa is this Italian who finds herself having to stay to Memphis where she is conned into buying magazines and such as well as meeting a strange man (Tom Noonan) who claims to have met the ghost of Elvis where the most normal person she meets is Dee Dee who is just upset over her boyfriend getting laid off.
Mitsuko, Jun, and Luisa are these people who are fascinated by their surroundings where they’re just visitors in this strange land that is a bit decayed and sort of wild. Yet, they’re only staying there for one night as they know how chaotic the place is as the only other foreigner that is roaming around Memphis is Johnny who is just lamenting that he just got dumped. Drowning his sorrows in booze and carrying a loaded pistol, it’s obvious that this character is trouble but he’s sort of this charming character who feels bad over what he did as he has no clue on what is to do where he ends up causing more trouble for himself and his friends. All of these characters would stay in different hotel rooms where the clerk and the bellboy would meet these different characters and often make a few comments about what is going on and such where they would also listen to Elvis Presley’s cover of Blue Moon at certain points in the film as it plays on the radio.
Jarmusch’s direction is quite simple for much of the film while he does create some amazing compositions in the way he presents Memphis as well as the hotel the characters stay in. Memphis acts like this strange ghost town of sorts where some of places are abandoned or decaying while there’s also something vibrant that goes on in the city. It’s a true reflection of Americana that its foreign characters can seem overwhelmed by as Mitsuko and Jun are always staring though neither of them speak much English. There’s a lot of humor in the way these characters react to their surroundings where Mitsuko and Jun have a hard time listening to the Sun Studios tour guide who talks very fast in English. That is among some of the humorous moments as well as the scene of Luisa being conned to buy all of these magazines where it showcases that sense of alienation that can be quite funny.
There are also moments that include the hotel room scenes as there’s always a different painting of Elvis Presley in that hotel room. A lot of which showcases a man who represents everything that is an icon where Mitsuko and Jun are fascinated by how influential he is while Luisa is also transfixed by his presence. Johnny however, isn’t enthused about Elvis as he’s also called by Elvis by some of the locals. His story is definitely one of the darker moments of the film as well as one that is also quite mysterious as Johnny is someone who is connected to a character in another story as it all plays to these characters dealing with the strangeness of the city all in the span of one entire day. Overall, Jarmusch creates a very mesmerizing yet sensational film about people looking for something in the city of Memphis.
Cinematographer Robby Muller does amazing work with the film‘s very colorful and exotic photography from the look of Memphis in the daytime with the use of lights and such to play into the scenes set at night. Editor Melody London does excellent work with the editing by going for a straightforward approach while using some rhythmic cuts for some of the film‘s humorous moments. Production designer Dan Bishop and set decorator Dianna Freas do wonderful work with the look of the hotel rooms the characters stay in that features a different painting of Elvis Presley in each room.
Costume designer Carol Wood does terrific work with the clothes from the youthful look of Mitsuko and Jun to the more old-fashioned look of Luisa. Sound editor Robert Hein does superb work with the sound to convey the atmosphere of the locations as well as moments to link the other stories as a whole piece such as the music and a gunshot that is heard in the morning. The film’s music by John Lurie is fantastic for its low-key yet blues-based score to play into the world of Memphis while its soundtrack features an array of music from soul and rockabilly that includes music by Elvis Presley to play into the mysticism that is Memphis.
The film’s incredible cast includes some notable small roles from people like Sara Driver as an airport clerk, Sy Richardson as a magazine clerk, famed Memphis musician Rufus Thomas as a man who greets the Mitsuko and Jun at the Memphis train station, Rockets Redglare as a liquor store clerk, Tom Noonan as a mysterious man Luisa meets at a diner, and Tom Waits as the voice of a local radio DJ who plays the music that appears in the film. Cinque Lee is very funny as the young bellboy while the late yet legendary Screamin’ Jay Hawkins is superb as the hotel night clerk who dazzles in his red suit. Youki Kudoh and Masatoshi Nagase are fantastic as the young Japanese couple Mitsuko and Jun with Kudoh as the more upbeat and quirky Mitsuko while Nagase displays a low-key melancholia to his rule as Jun.
Nicoletta Braschi is amazing as Italian widow Luisa who is bewildered by her surroundings as she has no idea what is going on while being fascinated by the presence of Elvis Presley. Elizabeth Bracco is excellent as Dee Dee as this woman who just left her boyfriend as she is a very talkative person who is just upset over her day. Rick Aviles is terrific as Johnny’s friend Will Robinson who is frustrated over Johnny’s antics as well as the fact that he is named after a character in the TV show Lost in Space. Steve Buscemi is brilliant as Johnny’s friend Charlie who reluctantly helps Will out to sort out Johnny while trying to deal with the chaos of the night. Finally, there’s the late Joe Strummer in a marvelous performance as Johnny as this troubled Englishman who is upset over losing his job and his girl as he just wants to lash out at whatever is around him as he’s just got this presence that is unforgettable.
Mystery Train is a magnificent film from Jim Jarmusch. Armed with a remarkable ensemble cast as well as an intoxicating sense of mysticism. The film is an entrancing look into the world of alienation as well as a look into a world that is changing but also in decay where many of its traditions try to stay on. Notably in a city that is vibrant as Memphis, Tennessee that is full of culture and mystery that is still exciting to watch. In the end, Mystery Train is a phenomenal film from Jim Jarmusch.
Jim Jarmusch Films: Permanent Vacation - Stranger Than Paradise - Down by Law - Night on Earth - Dead Man - Year of the Horse - Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai - Coffee & Cigarettes - Broken Flowers - The Limits of Control - Only Lovers Left Alive - Paterson - Gimme Danger - The Dead Don’t Die - (Father Mother Sister Brother) - The Auteurs #27: Jim Jarmusch
© thevoid99 2013
Based on the novel by Joseph Kessel, Belle de Jour is the story of a housewife who spends her afternoons as a prostitute while her husband is at work as she deals with her sexual desires. Directed by Luis Bunuel and screenplay by Bunuel and Jean-Claude Carriere, the film is an exploration into a woman trying to find sexual fulfillment as she’s not finding that in her marriage prompting her to take drastic actions. Starring Catherine Deneuve, Jean Sorel, Francisco Rabal, and Michel Piccoli. Belle de Jour is a provocative yet entrancing film from Luis Bunuel.
The film explores the world of a bored housewife of a surgeon who decides to become a prostitute in the afternoons to fulfill her sexual desires. There, she encounters men who give her the sexual fulfillment she craves which would have an ironic effect in her relationship with her husband until she meets a troubled criminal who wants her. It’s a film that is largely told from the perspective of the protagonist Severine (Catherine Deneuve) who has these fantasies of being beaten and insulted yet has a hard time living that out in the real world as she is bored and aloof which confuses her husband Pierre (Jean Sorel) who often works. Yet, she is also quite cold to his friend Henri Husson (Michel Piccoli) who would mention about the brothel that one of Severine’s old friends used to work at which prompts the curious Severine to see what is there where she would find this strange balance of fantasy and reality.
The film’s screenplay by Luis Bunuel and Jean-Claude Carriere creates a unique story that is largely told from a woman’s perspective where it’s opening scene is where Severine and Pierre are riding in a carriage where Pierre demands the carriage drivers to beat her. It’s a very strange moment to open the film but the fact that it’s Severine’s fantasy makes it even stranger into why would this woman want to feel pleasure from being whipped by men and such? Pierre has no clue about Severine’s fantasies as he is also baffled by her reluctance to have sex with him but he respects her too much to not do anything against her will. Still, there is that question of maybe Severine wants Pierre to take action but it doesn’t happen where she also is also attracted to Husson in some respects though she also despises him greatly because of how flirtatious he can be.
The script is also intriguing in how Severine manages to be part of this world of sex where she works for this very stern brothel madam known as Madame Anais (Genevieve Page) who shows her the ropes of what to do. Under the name Belle de Jour, Severine would become one of class and intrigue to the clients she meets. Yet, it becomes more troubling in its third act with the arrival of a criminal named Hyppolite (Francisco Rabal) who is an old friend of Madame Anais as he is joined by his young protégé Marcel (Pierre Clementi) whose attraction to Severine is very unstable. Notably as it clashes with everything she wanted but also the stability that she craves for at home.
The direction of Luis Bunuel is very entrancing in the way he blurs the idea of fantasy and reality. Most notably with its opening sequence that seems real but it has an air of surrealism that is common with a lot of Bunuel’s work as there would be these scenes that are presented in some of the beautiful ways. Even as it has this degradation that makes it so strange where Husson throws mud at Severine in one scene while she’s tied up on a tree in another scene to showcase how extreme these fantasies of sadomasochism can be. Even where Severine finally gets to act in these fantasies where there is a sense of happiness that occurs where even the fantasies become more playful in some respects.
The compositions that Bunuel creates are mesmerizing in the way he puts his actors into a frame or how he maintains the idea of reality and fantasy colliding. Notably as some of the moments of reality where Severine interacts with the other prostitutes showcase an intimacy in some of these scenes as well as scenes between Severine and Pierre where it’s quite calm. Still, Bunuel does create some great scenes in these moments where he would also include moments of symbolism to suggest the fate that Severine might face. Most notably a sequence where Severine is hired to play the dead wife of a man in this elaborate yet strange funeral scene. Things get darker in the third act where her encounter with Marcel is one that is just chaotic as it also begins to blur the idea of reality and fantasy where Severine must make a choice. Overall, Bunuel creates a very fascinating and captivating film about a woman trying to find fulfillment in her sexual desires.
Cinematographer Sascha Vierny does amazing work with the film‘s very colorful cinematography from the way the scenes in the forests look with its vibrant colors to some of the lighting schemes that is created in some of the film‘s interiors. Editor Louisette Hautecoeur does brilliant work with the editing where it is stylized with its jump-cuts and dissolves as it plays to some of the film‘s humor and strange moments. Production designer Robert Clavel does fantastic work with the look of the brothel that Severine works at as well as her lavish home that she and Pierre live in. The costumes of Helene Nourry is superb for its sense of style in the clothes that Severine wears that ranges from quaint and innocent to some of the sensual clothing she has to wear for work. The sound work of Rene Longuet is excellent for some of the effects that is created to play up that blur of fantasy and reality as well as in creating an atmosphere in some big scenes in the film.
The film’s incredible cast includes some notable small roles from Marguerite Muni as Madame Anais’ maid, Georges Marchal as a duke who hires Severine to come to his home, Macha Merill as Severine’s friend Renee, Francoise Fabian and Maria Latour as a couple of women who work for Madame Anais, and Francisco Rabal as the notorious yet cautious criminal Hyppolite. Pierre Clementi is excellent as the unpredictable and fierce Marcel who falls for Severine as she has everything he wants yet has a hard time not being with her. Genevieve Page is superb as Madame Anais as a woman who is stern but also very kind as she helps Severine figure out how to play her part while dealing with the fact that Severine is only working in afternoons. Michel Piccoli is great as Henri Husson as a man who is attracted to Severine no matter how much she despises him as he’s one full of charm and wit while he would be the one that would play a key role into ending Severine’s time as a prostitute.
Jean Sorel is terrific as Severine’s husband Pierre as he’s sort of this aloof yet kind surgeon who loves his wife but doesn’t know what she wants as he’s quite oblivious to her activities while being a much more brutal person in her fantasies. Finally, there’s Catherine Deneuve in a remarkable performance as Severine as this woman who sort of has this cold yet lost personality early in the film to someone who seems to enjoy being beaten and humiliated in her fantasies as it’s definitely one of Deneuve’s finest performances in her career where she shows a bit of skin but also shows something much more in this film.
Belle de Jour is a phenomenal film from Luis Bunuel that features a radiant performance from Catherine Deneuve. The film is certainly one of the most interesting takes on the world of sexual fantasies and sadomasochism as well as what a woman wants in her life as she is just simply trying to find herself. Most notably as it would also play into the idea of reality and fantasy in what a woman wants. In the end, Belle de Jour is a sensational film from Luis Bunuel.
Luis Bunuel Films: Un Chien Andalou - L’Age d’Or - Land Without Bread - (Gran Casino) - (The Great Madcap) - Los Olvidados - (Susana) - (La hija de engano) - (Mexican Bus Ride) - (A Woman Without Love) - (El Bruto) - (El) - (Illusion Travels by Streetcar) - (Wuthering Heights (1954 film)) - Robinson Crusoe (1954 film) - (The Criminal Lives of Archibaldo de la Cruz) - (El rio y la muerte) - (Cela S’apelle l’Aurore) - (Death in the Garden) - (Nazarin) - (La Fievre a El Pasao) - (The Young One) - Viridiana - The Exterminating Angel - Diary of a Chambermaid - Simon of the Desert - (The Milky Way) - Tristana - Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie - (The Phantom of Liberty) - (That Obscure Object of Desire)
© thevoid99 2013
Directed by Billy Wilder and written by Wilder and I.A.L. Diamond, The Apartment is the story of an ambitious office worker who begrudgingly lets his bosses use his apartment for their extramarital affairs where he ends up falling for one of his bosses mistresses. The film is an exploration into ambition and morality where a man deals with the way he tries to move up through things he didn’t like doing while falling for a woman who deals with her affairs with one of his bosses. Starring Jack Lemmon, Shirley MacLaine, and Fred MacMurray. The Apartment is a witty yet grand film from Billy Wilder.
The film is essentially an exploration into the life of an insurance office worker named C.C. Baxter (Jack Lemmon) who hopes to climb up the ladder in becoming an executive. Yet, his loyalty and hard work isn’t enough where he reluctantly lets his managers use his apartment for their affairs which gets the attention of their boss Jeff Sheldrake (Fred MacMurray) who asks Baxter if he can use his apartment for his own extramarital affair. Sheldrake’s mistress turns out to be an elevator operator named Fran Kubelik (Shirley MacLaine) whom Baxter has feelings for where he later finds out about the affair which upsets him. Yet, Fran learns during the Christmas party on that same day that she is just another of Sheldrake’s revolving door of mistresses as she is hurt where she and the lonely Baxter bond over their loneliness and the humiliation they endure.
The film’s screenplay is in some ways a character study but also a love story of sorts between Baxter and Kubelik as they’re just people dealing with working in an insurance office. Baxter is just a man who just wants to make it in that world but he often endures moments of humiliation as his superiors call him “Buddy-boy” and sometimes call when they’re not scheduled to be at the apartment. Baxter would be outside of his apartment so he wouldn’t interfere as he would return to find his place a mess and lots of hairpins and such laying around in the couch and such. Adding to this humiliation is his feelings for Kubelik whom he thinks is a nice woman yet she, regretfully, stood him up on a date where he tries to forget about it until the office Christmas party where the broken hand mirror he found in his apartment belonged to Kubelik. It’s a moment that just adds to his own loneliness and despair yet it is balanced by Kubelik’s own revelation about Sheldrake.
Kubelik is just as interesting as Baxter as she’s a woman who later admits to falling for the wrong guy as she has this secret affair with Sheldrake whom she doesn’t see often. Yet, she becomes more uncertain that he will leave his wife where she is intrigued by Baxter but is in love with Sheldrake. The Christmas party scene is one of the key important moments in the film not just because of what Baxter discovers but also what Fran discovers from Sheldrake’s secretary Miss Olsen (Edie Adams) at the party that leaves Fran hurt and humiliated. The film’s second half becomes about Baxter and Kubelik dealing with the hurt and humiliation that both had endured as they deal with the things they’ve done where it would play to some growth in their characters as well as the fact that they could become a couple. Still, Baxter tries to protect himself and Kubelik from others including his neighbor Dr. Dreyfuss (Jack Kruschen) who has been suspicious about what goes on at Baxter’s apartment. Yet, it would take some events and such that would finally make Baxter stand up for himself and do what he feels is right for himself and Kubelik.
Billy Wilder’s direction is very mesmerizing for the way he explores the world of corporate offices where he uses the widescreen format and wide shots to get a sense of what goes on while putting in the middle of that shot is Baxter though he’s seen among the hordes of people in their desks. The use of dolly and tracking shots allows Wilder to create a world that is very go-go-go and busy but also quite raucous at times such as the Christmas party sequence where there’s a lot of fun that goes on and Wilder also knows where to put key important characters in the frame to help advance the story and such. Even as he creates some intimate moments in the offices such as the scene between Baxter and Kubelik where he discovers who that broken mirror belongs to. It’s among these very intense dramatic moments while Wilder also infuses a lot of melancholia to these moments to showcase the humiliation that Baxter and Kubelik both endure.
While there are some moments of humor in the film that includes Baxter’s superiors acting silly on their way to the apartment with their mistresses along with moments of how Baxter reacts to his situation. There is also a mixture of melancholia in some of the comedic moments that Baxter endures such as the scene where he’s at a bar drowning his sorrows with another woman. Yet, Wilder maintains that sense of loneliness that occurs in the story as he makes Baxter’s apartment as a key character in the story where it’s a place that represents his own lonely persona. Things liven up a bit once Kubelik stays there briefly following a very intense moment that plays into the growing bond she would have with Baxter. Even as he would maintain control about what he should do with his life and his apartment as well as what he wants for Kubelik who is stuck in her love for Sheldrake as well as her bad luck with men. Overall, Wilder creates a very engaging yet triumphant film about loneliness, humility, and overcoming all of that.
Cinematographer Joseph LaShelle does brilliant work with the film‘s black-and-white photography to play into the sense of despair the protagonists endure as well as the use of lights in the offices and as well as the low-key look in Baxter‘s apartment. Editor Daniel Mandell does excellent work with the editing with its use of rhythmic cuts to play out some of the film‘s drama and humor as well as sequence where Sheldrake and Kubelik are in Baxter‘s apartment as he is in the bar drowning his sorrows. Art director Alexandre Trauner and set decorator Edward G. Boyer do fantastic work with the look of Baxter’s apartment that is very intimate and sort of a mess to represent Baxter’s loneliness while the look of the offices and places where he works is also unique to display more of his sense of isolation.
The sound work of Gordon E. Sawyer is superb for capturing some of the chaos in some of the moments in the office such as the Christmas party as well as the intimate moments in Baxter‘s apartment. The film’s music by Adolph Deutsch is amazing for its somber yet flourishing score with its mixture of orchestral and jazz music to play with some of the film’s melancholia while the soundtrack consists an array of music from jazz, classical, and pop.
The film’s cast is just splendid for the ensemble that is created as it includes some notable small roles from Joyce Jameson as the woman Baxter meets at the bar after the Christmas party, Johnny Seven as Kubelik’s brother-in-law, Hal Smith as the drunk Santa Claus in the bar, Naomi Stevens as Dr. Dreyfuss’ wife, Hope Holiday as Baxter’s suspicious landlord, and Joan Shawlee as one of the mistresses of Baxter’s superiors. In the roles of Baxter’s four superiors, there’s David Lewis, Ray Walston, Willard Waterman, and David White as they each give very funny performances as men who take advantage of Baxter’s generosity in order to have fun with their mistresses. Jack Kruschen is excellent as Dr. Dreyfuss as a neighbor of Baxter who is suspicious about what goes on in Baxter's apartment as he also tells Baxter to grow up and be a man.
Edie Adams is wonderful as Sheldrake’s secretary Miss Olsen who accidentally reveals to Kubelik about Sheldrake’s previous affairs at the Christmas party as she would also play a part in trying to bring Sheldrake down over his affairs with other women. Fred MacMurray is great as Jeff Sheldrake as a man who likes to maintain control over his affairs as he is also someone who is a bit cruel to the way he treats Kubelik as he is also quite slimy towards Baxter as it’s definitely one of his finest performances.
Finally, there’s the duo of Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine in astonishing performances in their respective roles of C.C. Baxter and Fran Kubelik. MacLaine brings this presence that is very upbeat and playful in the way she interacts with Baxter early on though there’s a fragility to her that is just compelling as she deals with heartbreak and disappointment. Lemmon is very funny in some of his reactions but also has this melancholia that is just endearing where he has this physicality that is just amazing to watch in the way he deals with humility as well as his actions for what he’s doing. Lemmon and MacLaine have this chemistry that is just undeniable in the way they make each other laugh or bond over the pain they deal with in their loneliness as they are some of the best highlights of the film.
The Apartment is a magnificent film from Billy Wilder that includes incredible performances from Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine. The film is truly an engaging and thoughtful piece on the world of loneliness and ambition that plays into the troubled morality of two people lost in their own chaos as they bond through that pain. It’s also one of the most charming and touching romantic comedies that strays from convention with characters that audiences can root for. In the end, The Apartment is an outstanding film from Billy Wilder.
Billy Wilder Films: (Mauvaise Graine) - (The Major and the Minor) - (Five Graves to Cairo) - Double Indemnity - The Lost Weekend - (The Emperor Waltz) - (A Foreign Affair) - Sunset Boulevard - Ace in the Hole - Stalag 17 - (Sabrina) - (The Seven Year Itch) - (The Spirit of St. Louis) - (Love in the Afternoon) - (Witness for the Prosecution) - Some Like It Hot - (One, Two, Three) - (Irma La Douce) - (Kiss Me, Stupid) - (The Fortune Cookie) - (The Private Lives of Sherlock Holmes) - (Avanti!) - (The Front Page) - (Fedora) - (Buddy Buddy)
© thevoid99 2013
Directed by Marina Zenovich, Roman Polanski: Odd Man Out is a sequel to Zenovich’s 2008 film Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired that explores Roman Polanski’s extradition battle in 2009 over the 1977 statutory rape crime that he committed as the U.S. wants to arrest him for that charge. The film explores Polanski’s legal battle to fight the U.S. justice system as well as what happened to him in Switzerland when he was arrested where Zenovich reveals some links into what happened and such. The result is a very fascinating and compelling documentary from Marina Zenovich.
In 2008’s documentary film Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired, director Marina Zenovich wanted to explore Polanski’s 1977 case over raping 13-year old Samantha Gailey at Jack Nicholson’s house in Los Angeles where he was later arrested and plead guilty to the charge only to flee the U.S. due to a miscarriage of justice by a judge who wanted to sentence Polanski even worse than his original sentence. In the fall of 2009 when Polanski flew to Zurich, Switzerland to attend its film festival to accept an award, he is arrested by the Swiss government for that case where Zenovich makes her follow-up to examine the extradition case and why did the Swiss rat out Polanski to the U.S.
While Zenovich is featured in the documentary where she used her film as evidence in the extradition case in Los Angeles. She also examined what might’ve motivated the Swiss to give in to the U.S. where it might’ve involved their own troubles with their banks as the U.S. were demanding records over any U.S. accounts in their banks. Even as she interviews journalists and legal advisors who believe that there might’ve been a link into why the Swiss wanted to turn Polanski over the U.S. authorities where he would end up being arrested and later in house-arrest in his home in Gstaad for more than 260 days. Though Polanski nor his wife Emmanuelle Seigner and their children are interviewed for the documentary. They are featured where Seigner, through news clips, reveals her own feelings as well as well as some of the things she and her children had to go through in Paris during this ordeal.
Then there’s Samantha Geimer (nee Gailey) who is the victim the case as she is interviewed along with her mother as Geimer gives her opinion about the extradition case. Notably as she is upset over the fact that it took the U.S. justice system a long time to do that and bring all that pain back to her family who wanted to move on from the incident. It’s not just Geimer and her family who were suffering from the ordeal but also Polanski’s family as his arrest would nearly cripple the post-production of his 2010 film The Ghost Writer where his longtime editor Herve de Luze is interviewed about his time in Switzerland where he and Polanski edited the film on a laptop inside the jail cell that Polanski was in before his house arrest.
Most of the interviews, with the help of cinematographer Tanja Koop and sound mixer Tyler Bender, are conducted in rooms while Geimer and her family are interviewed in their home in Hawaii as Zenovich doesn’t try to make her presence known except in the end where she films Polanski accepting his award in Zurich without any trouble. Still, Zenovich does ponder if her previous documentary either helped or hurt Polanski where she also showcases that sense of public opinion through news footage that is gathered with the help of editor Chris A. Peterson. Most notably as Zenovich even captures footage of the extradition trial in Los Angeles which showcases some of the fallacies of the legal system.
Roman Polanski: Odd Man Out is an excellent documentary from Marina Zenovich. The film is a superb follow-up to Zenovich’s previous documentary on Polanski though she doesn’t reveal anything new about what she explored in the last film. Still, she does manage to reveal a lot more about the motivations between the U.S. and Switzerland in trying to go after Polanski as well as the people who were suffering in that ordeal as the case did eventually end on a good note. In the end, Roman Polanski: Odd Man Out is a fantastic film from Marina Zenovich.
© thevoid99 2013
Based on the book The Master of Disguise by Tony Mendez and Joshuah Bearman’s article The Great Escape, Argo is the story of a CIA operative who leads a rescue of six American diplomats who are hiding at the home of a Canadian ambassador during the 1979 Iranian Revolution. Directed by Ben Affleck and screenplay by Chris Terrio, the film is about how a CIA operative, a Hollywood makeup artist, and a film producer create a fake movie in order to use it as a disguise to get Americans out of Iran during a tumultuous period. Starring Ben Affleck, Bryan Cranston, Alan Arkin, and John Goodman. Argo is a thrilling yet engaging film from Ben Affleck.
Set during the Iranian Revolution of 1979 where the people of Iran took over the American embassy and held many Americans hostage for 444 days. The film is about six American diplomats who were able to escape during the fall of the embassy where they hid at the home of the Canadian ambassador. It would take the actions of a CIA operative in Tony Mendez (Ben Affleck) who decides to create a fake movie with help of a famed makeup artist John Chambers (John Goodman) and film producer Lester Siegel (Alan Arkin). There, Mendez would create a ruse so that he would get the six Americans out of the country though they’re aware that they’re under surveillance from the Iranian government. It’s a film that plays into this true story that is known as Canadian Caper though there are things that screenwriter Chris Terrio does to play with some of the true events in order to make the story more dramatic.
Despite some of the dramatic liberties that was taken to tell the story, Terrio does manage to make the screenplay not just be some suspense film about getting six Americans out of Iran by having them pretend to be a Canadian film crew. There’s also some humor about how Mendez goes into Hollywood to try and find a story to sell to the Iranian government as if it would be a movie that the country would approve. They would find it in the form of a cheesy sci-fi adventure called Argo where the film’s title would have a certain punch line that is often said “Argo fuck yourself”. It’s among one of the highlights of the film that helps balance a lot of the suspense and intrigue that goes on where the narrative has a straightforward structure where it moves back-and-forth to Mendez’ time in Istanbul and Iran as well as what is happening in Washington D.C.
The script doesn’t just succeed in its narrative and approach to suspense but also in the characters themselves as Tony Mendez is this CIA operative who knows a lot more than some of his superiors about how to get people out as he is also someone with a wife and son whom he doesn’t see often but always talks to. When he presents his ideas to his superiors, they’re skeptical but realize there’s very little options as the people he’s trying to get out of the country are also wary of Mendez’s idea. Even as there’s people in the American embassy trying to find pictures of the missing six through hordes of shredded paper while there’s an Iranian maid named Sahar (Sheila Vand) who is suspicious about them as she works for the Canadian ambassador Ken Taylor (Victor Garber). Still, it all plays to the fact that these Americans have to pretend to be Canadians and play that part before the Iranian government find out about their true identities.
Ben Affleck’s direction is quite straightforward for much of the presentation though he opens the film with a comic-book like presentation about Iran’s troubled history with the U.S. that led to the 1979 Iranian Revolution with a mixture of old news footage and pictures of these times. Notably as he also mixes footage of the embassy takeover on that day with what is happening inside as it becomes chaotic as the film then shifts into Mendez coming into the picture when the CIA is running out of options as Affleck maintains something is quite engaging intense where the camera is constantly moving in its tracking and handheld shots to present the CIA in panic mode as they’re trying to figure things out. Affleck does lighten things up for the scenes in Hollywood where he isn’t afraid to add humor and silliness to the story while he creates a very strange montage where it showcases the uprising in Iran with actors reading the script to the fake sci-fi story.
While much of the film is shot in Los Angeles with portions shot in Washington DC and in Istanbul as some of the locations in Los Angeles and Istanbul play the role of Tehran, Iran. Affleck does create some shot-for-shot recreations of some of the events that took place during the Iranian Revolution of 1979 where some of those images are terrifying. Notably as Affleck maintains an air of chills and claustrophobia to a scene where he and the American diplomats step outside to pretend to be the film crew where they nearly get into trouble. It adds to the suspense as well as the scenes that goes on in the American embassy where there’s other hostages as well as moments such as the failed Operation Eagle Claw mission that would complicate things until Mendez makes the decision that would impact everything. Overall, Affleck creates a very gripping yet powerful film about the Canadian Caper story.
Cinematographer Rodrigo Prieto does amazing work with the film‘s cinematography where it has an air of grain to create something real but also to add some style in some of the locations such as the scenes in Iran to play up that sense of terror. Editor William Goldenberg does brilliant work with the film‘s editing with its use of montages as well as rhythmic cuts to play into the film‘s suspense and terror as well as some of its humorous moments. Production designer Sharon Seymour, with set decorator Jan Pascale and art director Peter Borck, do fantastic work with the set pieces from the look of the embassy and the Canadian ambassador‘s home as well as the look of 1979 Tehran in its air of unrest.
Costume designer Jacqueline West does excellent work with the costumes where it‘s mostly low-key and casual to play up the look of late 1970s while creating some silly costumes for the film‘s sci-fi convention scene. Visual effects supervisors Lubo Hristov and Don Lee do terrific work with some of the visual look in the way Tehran looked from afar as well as some minimal background moments. Sound editors Erik Aadahl and Ethan Van der Ryn do superb work with the sound such as the film‘s embassy riot scene as well as the sense of terror that occurs with its sound of helicopters and angry crowds to play into that air of unrest. The film’s music by Alexandre Desplat is phenomenal for its orchestral-driven score to play into the film‘s suspense and drama while infusing it with some Middle Eastern vocal music and such while the film‘s soundtrack by music supervisor Linda Cohen features a lot of the music of that period from acts like the Rolling Stones, Dire Straits, Van Halen, and Led Zeppelin.
The casting by Lora Kennedy is just great for the cast that is assembled as it features some small appearances from Taylor Schilling as Tony’s wife Christine, Page Leong as Ken Taylor’s wife, Adrienne Barbeau as Siegel’s ex-wife, Chris Messina as the CIA official Malinov, Zeljko Ivanek as one of Mendez’s superiors in Robert Pender, Sheila Vand as the Taylors’ maid Sahar, Richard Kind as a Hollywood producer, Kyle Chandler as White House Chief of Staff Hamilton Jordan, Bob Gunton as Secretary of State Cyrus Vance, and Philip Baker Hall as the CIA head Stansfield Turner. Bryan Cranston is superb as Tony’s main superior Jack O’Donnell who helps ensure the secrecy of the mission as well as be his contact at home. Victor Garber is excellent as Canadian ambassador Ken Taylor who keeps the six Americans at his house while figuring out how to be quietly involved without causing troubles with the Iranians.
In the roles of the six American hostages, there’s Tate Donovan as Robert Anders, Rory Cochrane as Lee Schatz, Scoot McNairy and Kerry Bishe as Joe and Cathy Stafford, and Christopher Denham and Clea DuVall as Mark and Cora Lijek as they all give fantastic performances as six Americans living in terror. Alan Arkin is brilliant as the very engaging producer Lester Siegel who always knows how to talk bullshit to people in order to get what he wants as helps out Mendez. John Goodman is marvelous as the legendary makeup artist John Chambers who helps Mendez get the project started as it’s a performance full of humor and bravado. Finally, there’s Ben Affleck in a remarkable performance as Tony Mendez as a CIA operative who is keen on making sure that he gets the Americans out of Iran while dealing with the chaos in the country as well as the fact that he is also putting his ass on the line as well.
Argo is an incredible film from Ben Affleck about the Canadian Caper rescue. Thanks to a great ensemble cast that includes Bryan Cranston, Alan Arkin, and John Goodman as well a captivating story about what happened. It is a film that is certainly a small piece of American history that is well-told while giving some credit to what the Canadians did despite some skimming over some details in the true accounts of what happened. In the end, Argo is an extraordinary film from Ben Affleck.
Ben Affleck Films: (Gone Baby Gone) - The Town - (Live By Night) - Air (2023 film)
© thevoid99 2013
Written and directed by Wes Anderson, Castello Cavalcanti is an eight-minute short film about a Formula One race car driver who tries to finish a race in Italy only to be stuck in a small town during the race. Financed by Prada, the short is a tribute of sorts to Italian cinema as it was shot in Cinecitta Studios where the racer is played by Anderson regular Jason Schwartzman. Also starring Giada Colagrande. Castello Cavalcanti is a delightful and entertaining short film from Wes Anderson.
The short is a simple story about a Formula One racer in 1955 Italy who crashes his car into a small town realizing that the town shares his last name. It’s a very simple short that plays into a man dealing with his failure as a racer while having this revelation over this small town he’s in where his ancestors are from. Wes Anderson’s script doesn’t play too much into the story as it’s a very simple one where he focuses largely on his very stylized direction that is filled with his unique approach to dolly and tracking shots as well as exotic compositions. Most notably through Darius Khondji’s very colorful and vibrant cinematography as well as Stefano Ortolani’s very detailed and intricate set design with help from set decorator Cristina Onori and art director Letizia Santucci.
The film’s look is also enhanced by the costume design work of Milena Canonero to create something that feels like an Italian film that features lots of old-school music that is played in the background that is compiled by music supervisors Alessandro Casella and Randall Poster that is wonderfully mixed by Tulio Morganti for the location sound work. The film also features some intricate yet rhythmic editing from Stephen Perkins as it plays to Anderson’s unique style that includes the way he gets Jason Schwartzman to play this frustrated driver who wasn’t doing well in the race. Since the film has a look that is definitely inspired by Federico Fellini, the film’s cast definitely has a look that is Italian with Giada Colagrande being the standout as the barmaid at the café. Overall, the film is another marvelous short from Wes Anderson proving that he can do a lot in one small short film.
Wes Anderson Films: Bottle Rocket - Rushmore - The Royal Tenenbaums - The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou - Hotel Chevalier - The Darjeeling Limited - Fantastic Mr. Fox - Moonrise Kingdom - The Grand Budapest Hotel - Isle of Dogs - The French Dispatch - Asteroid City - The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar - The Swan - The Rat Catcher - Poison - The Phoenician Scheme - The Auteurs #8: Wes Anderson
Wes Anderson Soundtracks: Bottle Rocket - Rushmore - The Royal Tenenbaums - The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou - Seu Jorge-The Life Aquatic Studio Sessions - The Darjeeling Limited - Fantastic Mr. Fox - (Moonrise Kingdom) - (The Grand Budapest Hotel)
© thevoid99 2013
Written and directed by Jim Jarmusch, Down by Law is the story of three men who are incarcerated at a Louisiana prison as they decide to work together to make an escape. The film is an exploration into the lives of three different men who are accused of different crimes where they rely on each other to deal with their situation. Starring Roberto Benigni, Tom Waits, and John Lurie. Down by Law is a captivating yet visually-entrancing film from Jim Jarmusch.
The film is the simple story of three different men who find themselves in trouble in different circumstances as they’re sent to a prison in Louisiana where they later escape as they try to evade the authorities through its swamp. Yet, these are three men who don’t know each other as they have to work together despite their differences. Two of which in an unemployed radio DJ named Zack (Tom Waits) and a small-time pimp named Jack (John Lurie) are both sent to prison for something they didn’t do as they were set up. Joining them is this Italian immigrant named Bob (Roberto Benigni) who is arrested for manslaughter as he would be the one to lead the escape despite his poor English.
Jim Jarmusch’s screenplay has a unique structure in the way he sets up the story as the first act is about Jack and Zack dealing with their issues in New Orleans where they’re both set up as Zack has a brief encounter with Bob. The second act is about the three men sharing a prison cell in Louisiana as Zack and Jack don’t really like each other as Bob is the wild card who did kill someone but only by accident. The third act is about the three men escaping prison yet they have to encounter something far more terrifying which is the Louisiana swamp where they have no idea where to go and such.
Jarmusch’s direction is very evocative in the way he presents the film as he makes the Louisiana bayou, its small towns, and the city of New Orleans just as important as the characters in the film. Most notably as he aims for something that feels like a mixture of Americana with a European sensibility in the compositions he creates that are simple but also offbeat. Particularly as he maintains an intimacy in the scenes set in the prison cell where it’s a bit claustrophobic but also lively such as a moment where the three men scream “I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream” that led the other inmate to do the same. It all plays to that sense that something is going to happen where it would play into their escape from prison.
Much of the scenes set in New Orleans and the Louisiana swamp are much broader in scope with Jarmusch using a lot of medium and some wide shots to create some unique images for the former in the film’s first act. The film’s third act in the swamp are definitely the most entrancing portions of the film where the sense of location adds to an element of suspense in Jarmusch’s direction where the swamp turns out to be something far more menacing because it has that sense of the unknown. Yet, there is some humor that is still prevalent in the form of Bob where he would be the one to find some hope as well as a fitting resolution. Overall, Jarmusch crafts a very engaging and compelling film about three different men who are bounded together by prison as they make a grand escape.
Cinematographer Robby Muller does phenomenal work with the film‘s black-and-white photography to play into the desolate yet vibrant look of New Orleans along with the more ethereal images that he creates with his camera for the scenes set in the swamp as he is one of the film‘s major highlights. Editor Melody London does excellent work with the film‘s editing by aiming for some style with its jump-cuts and transitional cuts to play into the film‘s unique structure as well as its suspense and humor. Set decorator Janet Densmore does fantastic work with some of the film’s minimal set pieces such as the prison cell the three men stay in as well as the shack they find in the middle of the swamp.
Costume designer Carol Wood does nice work with the costumes as it‘s mostly casual including the prison suit’s the three men have to wear. Sound editor John Auerbach does terrific work with the sound to play into the atmosphere of the prison as well as the low-key sounds for the scenes in the swamp. The film’s music by John Lurie is amazing for its low-key yet playful jazz-based score to play into the film’s humor while the film also includes a couple of original songs by Tom Waits that helps with the film’s humor as well as a rendition of Naomi Neville’s It’s Raining by Irma Thomas that adds a key moment to one of the film’s final scenes.
The film’s brilliant cast includes some notable appearances from Billie Neal as one of Jack’s frustrated hookers, Ellen Barkin as Zack’s frustrated and angry girlfriend, and Nicoletta Braschi as an Italian woman that Bob meets late in the film. Robert Benigni is great as the very comical Bob as an Italian immigrant who speaks little English as he tries to find ways to get the spirits going and urge Jack and Zack to escape. John Lurie is superb as Jack as this small-time pimp who is upset over what happened as he tries to figure out what he’ll do once he gets out. Tom Waits is marvelous as Zack as an unemployed radio DJ who tries to figure out how to deal with his time while realizing how troubled the swamp is. Benigni, Lurie, and Waits make one incredible trio in the way they interact together as they are one of the reason for the film’s greatness.
Down by Law is a remarkable film from Jim Jarmusch. Thanks to the fantastic trio of Roberto Benigni, John Lurie, and Tom Waits as well as Robby Muller’s beautiful cinematography. The film is definitely a unique take on the prison escape movie where it focuses on the individuals instead of the plot to escape and such. Even as Jarmusch infuses it with some low-key humor and offbeat situations to make it so much more as it defies convention. In the end, Down by Law is a sensational film from Jim Jarmusch.
Jim Jarmusch Films: Permanent Vacation - Stranger than Paradise - Mystery Train - Night on Earth - Dead Man - Year of the Horse - Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai - Coffee & Cigarettes - Broken Flowers - The Limits of Control - Only Lovers Left Alive - Paterson - Gimme Danger - The Dead Don’t Die - (Father Mother Sister Brother) - The Auteurs #27: Jim Jarmusch
© thevoid99 2013
Written and directed by So Yong Kim, For Ellen is the story of a musician who deals with a custody battle for his daughter as well as his life as traveling musician. The film is an intimate portrait into the life of a young man trying to see his daughter while wondering if he is a good father. Starring Paul Dano, Jon Heder, Jena Malone, Shaylena Mandigo, Margarita Levieva, and Dakota Johnson. For Ellen is a touching yet harrowing film from So Yong Kim.
The film is a simple story about a traveling musician who arrives at a small town to finalize his divorce from his ex-wife as the documents he is to sign would have him lose custody of his daughter whom he doesn’t see. The film explores a young man trying to deal with everything he’s losing in his family life while he’s reaching a bottom over the fact that he is going to see his daughter even less since he and his ex-wife don’t get along. Though his lawyer tries to help, Joby Taylor (Paul Dano) realizes that he’s in a no-win scenario though he is able to get a chance to see his daughter. So Yong Kim’s screenplay is very minimalist as the first half explores Joby’s issues as he’s dealing with custody case and other things while the second half is about him spending time with his daughter but also realizes that she might not need him since her mother is going to marry someone.
Yong Kim’s direction is very simple as she goes for a lot of intimate shots and compositions while making things feel very real with bits of movement through the hand-held camera. A lot of it includes a lot of silent scenes where Joby deals with his situation as he’s also going through issues with his band and the fact that he’s losing something much more. While it’s a style that tends to drag a bit at times, it does play into the sense of loss that Joby is feeling as the film’s second half does pick things up a bit once he spends time with his daughter Ellen (Shaylena Mandigo) whom he gets to know while realizing that her life is going to change and such. Notably as Yong Kim’s direction creates some key moments that are heartbreaking to explore what Joby is losing. Overall, Yong Kim creates a very compelling yet tender film about a father dealing with the fact that he’s never going to see his daughter again.
Cinematographer Reed Morano does excellent work with the film‘s cinematography as it‘s mostly natural for much of the film‘s exterior settings though he aims for low-key lights and such for interior/exterior scenes at night. Editors Bradley Gray Rust and So Yong Kim do nice work with the editing as it‘s mostly straightforward with not a lot of cuts to convey Joby‘s emotions. Production designer Ryan Warren Smith does fine work with the minimal set pieces such as the home of his lawyer and the motel room that Joby stays in. Sound designers Ian Stynes and Geoff Vincent do terrific work with the sound to capture the atmosphere of the locations including some scenes at the bar and at the mall. The film’s music by Johan Johannsson is fantastic for its low-key ambient score to play into Joby‘s despair while music supervisor Rachel Fox creates a soundtrack that largely consists of hard rock and heavy metal as well as other types of music from acts like Whitesnake, the National, and the Beastie Boys.
The casting by Sig De Miguel and Stephen Vincent is superb as it features a mostly small ensemble that includes appearances from Dakota Johnson as a woman Joby meets a bar, Margarita Levieva as Joby’s bitter ex-wife Claire, and Jena Malone as Joby’s girlfriend Susan who appears very late in the film. Jon Heder is terrific as Joby’s lawyer Fred who is handling his case and just trying to figure out what Joby is going to do. Shaylena Mandigo is amazing as Joby’s daughter Ellen who is just very natural and low-key as a young girl who is just meeting her father while figuring out why he isn’t around much. Finally, there’s Paul Dano in a brilliant performance as Joby as a musician dealing with a custody battle where he realizes how much he’s going to lose as well as the fact that things in his music career isn’t going well as Dano brings an anguish that is just captivating to watch.
For Ellen is a stellar film from So Yong Kim that features a mesmerizing performance from Paul Dano. Though it’s minimalist approach won’t be for everyone, it is still an engaging film for the way it explores a young man dealing with his actions and what he is losing as he tries to fight to be with his daughter. In the end, For Ellen is an enchanting film from So Yong Kim.
So Yong Kim Films: (In Between Days) - Treeless Mountain
© thevoid99 2013
Directed by Billy Wilder and screenplay by Wilder and I.A.L. Diamond from a story by Robert Theoren and Michael Logan, Some Like It Hot is the story of two male jazz musicians who witness the St. Valentine’s Massacre in 1929 as they pretend to be women to hide from the mob as part of an all-female band. A remake of a French film from 1935, the film explores men discovering what it means to be a women while hiding from the mob as well as the sexual interplay between men and women where one of them falls for a singer. Starring Tony Curtis, Jack Lemmon, Marilyn Monroe, George Raft, and Joe E. Brown. Some Like It Hot is a whimsical yet exhilarating film from Billy Wilder.
The film is a simple story about two penniless jazz musicians who accidentally witness the St. Valentine’s Massacre in 1929 Chicago as they have to hide from the mob. Upon hearing that there’s a job in Florida though it’s for an all-girl band, the two men dress up as women so they can hide from the mob and get paid while one of them falls for a singer while the other finds himself the object of affection for a millionaire. It’s a film that has a simple premise yet features a lot of aspects about the roles of men and women where Joe (Tony Curtis) and Jerry (Jack Lemmon) are just two men looking for work as musicians so they can pay off their debts. By dressing up as women to hide from the mob and get some money, they are able to have some fun in Florida while Joe falls for the singer Sugar (Marilyn Monroe) who laments over her choices in getting the wrong men.
The film’s screenplay does have a unique structure where the first act is about Joe and Jerry trying to find work as they unknowingly witness the St. Valentine’s Massacre. Since they are now big targets for the mobster known as Spats Colombo (George Raft), they try to figure out what to do as the only job that is available is only for women. With Joe as Josephine and Jerry as Daphne, the two dress up where a lot of hilarity ensues as well as the fact that part of the second act takes place in a train with a bevy of beautiful women including Sugar. Sugar is definitely one of the most interesting characters in the film as she is someone who knows she isn’t the brightest girl in the bunch as she likes to drink and have fun. Yet, she is also someone who just wants to find the right man as she had been with too many bad men where Joe finds himself listening to her as a woman.
The second half, which is set in Florida, is very lively where Jerry as Daphne seems to enjoy himself as a woman playing with Sugar and the girls while Joe decides to pretend to be a millionaire as if he is the ideal man for Sugar. Yet, Jerry has to deal with a millionaire named Osgood Fielding III (Joe E. Brown) who is just smitten by Daphne where something strange happens. All of which plays into the idea that Jerry might go along with what Osgood offers despite the fact that Jerry is really a guy. Still, the presence of Spats and the mob would occur in the third act where both men have to make some hard decisions in order to stay alive while still pretending to be women.
The direction of Billy Wilder is definitely exciting through and through where it opens with a chase scene between the police and the mob where the latter is smuggling liquor for a party that is happening that also introduces Joe and Jerry who are playing at the party. It starts off as sort of straightforward with some humor for the ordeal that Joe and Jerry are dealing with as two penniless musicians needing work until they encounter the St. Valentine’s Massacre. Cold, needing work, and in need to hide from the mob, Wilder ups the humor from the moment he presents Josephine and Daphne as these two men pretending women are having a hard time wearing heels and be believable as women which helps the humor. Notably in the way they react to Sugar and her sex appeal where Wilder does use that sex appeal to enhance the humor but also play into the way men react towards women.
Through some gorgeous compositions in the train and in the scenes set in Florida, Wilder creates something that is a comedy but also infuse it with a bit of suspense and drama but also make it a film about the ideas of men and women. Notably as Joe is known for being a gambler and womanizer who manages to grow by being a woman and getting to know Sugar. Jerry’s encounter with Osgood has him thinking about what he needs where Osgood offers a lot to Jerry as Daphne despite the fact that Osgood doesn’t know that Daphne is really a man. More encounters with mob does lead into a sequence that mixes suspense and humor where Wilder maintains that comic energy right to the end where he creates one of the film’s most perfect endings. Overall, Wilder creates a very entertaining and thrilling film about two men posing as women where they learn to become better men as women.
Cinematographer Charles Lang does amazing work with the film‘s black-and-white photography from the low-key yet dark look for the scenes set in Chicago to the mixture of lighting styles in the train scenes that would later play into the beauty of Florida as it‘s definitely one of the film‘s technical highlights. Editor Arthur P. Schmidt does excellent work with the editing with its use of rhythmic cuts to play into the film‘s humor and suspense as well as some unique transitions in a scene where both Joe and Jerry go on their respective dates. Art director Ted Haworth and set decorator Edward G. Boyle do superb work with the set pieces such as the look of the train cars as well as the Florida hotel the characters are in for the film‘s second half.
The costume work of Orry-Kelly is fantastic for the look of the dresses that Sugar wears to play into her beauty. The sound work of Fred Lau is terrific for some of the sound work that occurs in the St. Valentine‘s Massacre scene as well as some of the moments in the beach where Daphne plays with Sugar and the girls. The film’s music by Adolph Deustch is a wonderful mixture of somber orchestral pieces and lively jazz cuts while the film also features some songs sung by Marilyn Monroe that really adds to the sense of entertainment as well as to help to tell the story.
The casting by Phil Benjamin is brilliant for the ensemble that is created as it features some notable appearances from Mike Mazurki and Harry Wilson as a couple of Spats’ henchmen, Al Breneman as a bellboy who tries to woo Josephine, George E. Stone as Spats’ rival mobster Toothpick Charlie, and Nehemiah Persoff as the mob leader Little Bonaparte. Other noteworthy yet memorable small performances include Dave Barry as the band manager Beinstock, Joan Shawlee as the bandleader Sweet Sue, and Pat O’Brien as the police detective tailing Spats. George Raft is excellent as the mobster Spats who tries to regain control of his turf after a raid only to deal with the fact that Joe and Jerry had witnessed his attack on Toothpick Charlie as he tries to find them. Joe E. Brown is amazing as Osgood Fielding III as this very sweet millionaire who tries to woo Daphne as he gives her all sorts of gifts where Brown has some of the best moments that includes the word “zowie”.
Finally, there’s the trio of Tony Curtis, Jack Lemmon, and Marilyn Monroe as they give very remarkable performances. Monroe brings a sense of energy and charm to her role as the very dim-witted but fun Sugar as this woman just trying to find the right man as she is someone full of hope but is also very vulnerable that just adds depth to Monroe’s performance which is one of her best. Lemmon is great in the dual role of Jerry/Daphne as a man who is frustrated by what is happening as he later finds joy having fun with women while giving in to the idea of being married to a man for security and such. Curtis is phenomenal in a trio of role as Joe, Josephine, and the fake millionaire Shell Oil Jr. where Curtis adds a lot of humor and energy to his performances as the three characters while also displaying some growth and understanding as a man who is in love and just wanting to do what is right despite the trouble he’s facing.
Some Like It Hot is an outstanding film from Billy Wilder that features fantastic performances from Tony Curtis, Jack Lemmon, and Marilyn Monroe. The film is truly one of the funniest films ever made as it’s a comedy that still holds up after being released more than half a century. It’s full of moments that are very memorable as well as some great one-liners and antics that manages to still entertain. In the end, Some Like It Hot is a spectacular film from Billy Wilder.
Billy Wilder Films: (Mauvaise Graine) - (The Major and the Minor) - (Five Graves to Cairo) - Double Indemnity - The Lost Weekend - (The Emperor Waltz) - (A Foreign Affair) - Sunset Boulevard - Ace in the Hole - Stalag 17 - (Sabrina) - (The Seven Year Itch) - (The Spirit of St. Louis) - (Love in the Afternoon) - (Witness for the Prosecution) - The Apartment - (One, Two, Three) - (Irma La Douce) - (Kiss Me, Stupid) - (The Fortune Cookie) - (The Private Lives of Sherlock Holmes) - (Avanti!) - (The Front Page) - (Fedora) - (Buddy Buddy)
© thevoid99 2013
Based on the novel by Daniel Dafoe, Robinson Crusoe is the story of a man who spends year on a tropical island all by himself while he later deals with all sorts of things including cannibals. Directed by Luis Bunuel and screenplay by Bunuel, Luis Alcoriza, and Hugo Butler, the film is an adaptation of Dafoe’s novel that explores a man dealing with his isolation as he is played by Dan O’Herlihy. Also starring Jaime Fernandez, Felipe de Alba, and Chel Lopez. Robinson Crusoe is an excellent and engaging film from Luis Bunuel.
The film is essentially a simple story about a man who spends 28 years alone on a tropical island where he’s forced to fend for himself and such. Especially as he surrounds himself with animals such as birds, goats, a dog, and a cat where he has to endure isolation and later cannibals where he later befriends a captive that he would call Friday (Jaime Fernandez) whom he would help as the two find ways to survive and get out of the island. The film’s screenplay is quite simple in its approach where it is very straightforward where it is told largely from Robinson Cruose’s perspective as he narrates the film to express his own isolation and the loss he deals with where he has to grow up and do things on his own. Though the character of Friday would appear in the third act where Crusoe would have to deal with a group of cannibals and other forces later on. Friday would become someone he can talk to as Friday would grow into a civilized individual with his own thoughts and skills.
The direction of Luis Bunuel is very simple which is surprising for someone who is known for being a surrealist. Though he does put in a few strange moments such as scenes where Crusoe is troubled by fever and images of his past. It is mostly presented in a very straightforward manner in terms of compositions and such. Still, Bunuel does manage to create some very interesting scenes and such that plays into the drama as well as Crusoe’s despair in the years being all alone while later trying to deal with the idea of maybe wanting to go home. The first two acts are quite simple while the third is more adventurous when Crusoe has to deal with cannibals and gain Friday’s trust where it would play into a climax where Crusoe and Friday would fight against forces who may be the key to bringing Crusoe home. Overall, Bunuel crafts a very solid yet compelling film about a man dealing with isolation in an island.
Cinematographer Alex Phillips does excellent work with the film‘s colorful cinematography for many of the film‘s exterior settings and some interiors though there‘s aspects in the print that looks a bit tinted at times. Editor Carlos Savage and Alberto Valenzuela do nice work with the editing as it‘s mostly straightforward while using fade-outs to help structure the film. Production designer Edward Fitzgerald and set decorator Pablo Galvan do amazing work with the look of the cave home that Crusoe created as well as some of the interior of the ship where he gathered his supplies. Sound editor Teodulo Bustos does terrific work with the sound to play into the layers of location sounds as well as gun fire. The film’s music by Luis Hernandez Breton and Anthony Collins is superb for its orchestral-driven score to play into the drama and suspense that occurs in the film.
The film’s cast includes some notable small roles from Felipe de Alba as a ship captain Crusoe meets late in the film, Chel Lopez as the captain’s mate, and Emilio Garibay as a mutiny leader who captures the captain that Crusoe and Friday have to deal with. Jaime Fernandez is wonderful as the captured savage Friday whom Crusoe saves and later teaches as he becomes the one true friend that Crusoe would have late in the film. Finally, there’s Dan O’Herlihy as the titular character who deals with his isolation and situation as he tries to reflect on his life as well as his willingness to survive.
Robinson Crusoe is a stellar film from Luis Bunuel that features an amazing performance from Dan O’Herlihy as the titular character. While it’s a film that is faithful to Daniel Dafoe’s story as well as being something that is entertaining. For those who are into Bunuel’s work, it’s a sort of a baffling film in his oeuvre since it is a very simple film. In the end, Robinson Crusoe is a terrific film from Luis Bunuel.
Luis Bunuel Films: Un Chien Andalou - L’Age d’Or - Land Without Bread - (Gran Casino) - (The Great Madcap) - Los Olvidados - (Susana) - (La hija de engano) - (Mexican Bus Ride) - (A Woman Without Love) - (El Bruto) - (El) - (Illusion Travels by Streetcar) - (Wuthering Heights (1954 film)) - (The Criminal Lives of Archibaldo de la Cruz) - (El rio y la muerte) - (Cela S’apelle l’Aurore) - (Death in the Garden) - (Nazarin) - (La Fievre a El Pasao) - (The Young One) - Viridiana - The Exterminating Angel - Diary of a Chambermaid - Simon of the Desert - Belle de Jour - (The Milky Way) - Tristana - The Discreet Charms of the Bourgeoisie - (The Phantom of Liberty) - (That Obscure Object of Desire)
© thevoid99 2013
