Directed and shot by Les Blank, Werner Herzog Eats His Shoe is a documentary short film in which German filmmaker Werner Herzog fulfills a bet that he loses to another filmmaker in Errol Morris. The film chronicles what Herzog had to do after seeing that Morris had finally made a film that would be the documentary Gates of Heaven as Herzog would show what he had to do to live up to promise. The result is a hilarious documentary short film Les Blank.
The film follows filmmaker Werner Herzog who arrives to San Francisco for a screening of Gates of Heaven to spread the word about the film as well as eat his shoe in front of the public following its screening. Throughout the course of the film, Herzog comments on the industry and his views on film as he would stop at a restaurant to cook his shoes. With footage from Charles Chaplin’s film The Gold Rush, Herzog’s own film Even the Dwarfs Started Small, and bits of Errol Morris’ Gates of Heaven interspersed with Herzog holding his public feast of shoes. Shot with hand-held cameras by Blank, the film has Herzog making humorous anecdotes about what he’s about to eat as well as the recipes he put into his shoes to give it taste. With the aid of editor/sound recordist Maureen Gosling, Blank would put in footage of other films to play into everything Herzog is about to get himself into. Yet, it is all about honoring the wager that he had with another filmmaker all in the name of cinema.
Werner Herzog Eats His Shoe is a delightful film from Les Blank. It’s a very witty and enjoyable documentary short that follows a revered filmmaker doing what he says he was going to do as well as provide his own views on the world of film and the industry that often doesn’t take risk. In the end, Werner Herzog Eats His Shoe is an incredible film from Les Blank.
Related: (Gates of Heaven) – Burden of Dreams
© thevoid99 2017
Directed by George Miller and screenplay by Miller, Terry Hayes, and Brian Hannant, Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior is the story of a man driven by loss as he reluctantly help a group of settlers deal with marauders wreaking havoc during a post-apocalyptic period in Australia. The film is a sequel to the 1979 film in which Mel Gibson reprises his role as Max Rockatansky as he tries to cut himself off from humanity only to realize what he needs to do to regain. Also starring Bruce Spence, Vernon Wells, Emil Minty, Michael Preston, and narration by Harold Baigent. Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior is a thrilling and high-octane film from George Miller.
The film follows a man who would go on the road with his dog as he finds himself dealing with crazed marauders where he later finds a small village with lots of gasoline that is being threatened by marauders as gas is now the biggest currency in this post-apocalyptic environment. It’s a film that forces a man to deal with the demons from his past as he struggles to survive with just by himself as he knows that there are marauders just creating havoc and doing whatever they can for one bit of gasoline. The film’s screenplay that feature opening and closing narration by Harold Baigent as an unknown character who describes the events that led to what has happened showcases a world that has lost its way.
Max Rockatansky is just passing by trying to salvage whatever he can find as he would encounter a gyro pilot (Bruce Spence) where he would show him an oil refinery that is constantly attacked by the marauders. He agrees to help them retrieve an oil rig in exchange to get his car fixed and with his own supply of oil in return. Yet, things become complicated due to the marauders including a crazed henchman named Wez (Vernon Wells) who just likes to kill no matter what while he also wants revenge for the death of his companion in the hands of a feral boy (Emil Minty) that befriends Max.
George Miller’s direction starts off with a montage filled with stock footage and images from the previous film as it relates to the chaos that lead to the events in the film as this opening montage is presented in a full-frame 1:33:1 aspect ratio before being presented in a widescreen format in the 2:35:1 aspect ratio. Shot on location near the mining town of Broken Hills, New South Wales in Australia, the film play into this world that is quite desolate and chaotic where it’s cars that kind of rule the land as they’re used as weapons all in the need to get oil so the marauders can wreak havoc. There are some wide and medium shots Miller uses to capture the scope of the location while he would use close-ups for a few moments in the action but most of its usage is on the characters in the non-action scenes as a lot of those shots are straightforward.
In the action scenes, Miller maintains a realism in the way stunts are performed as well as the intensity of the action where much of it is on the road with some of it on the air. Miller also maintain some focus on what is at stake as well as identifying the people at the oil refinery who just want to live and restart their lives with Max unsure if he wants to help them. The film’s climax is intense as it play into the stakes as well as what Max has to do to help these settlers find hope. Overall, Miller crafts an exhilarating yet intense film about a loner trying to help settlers deal with marauders in a post-apocalyptic world.
Cinematographer Dean Semler does brilliant work with the film’s cinematography with the natural approach to the daytime exterior scenes as well as the usage of low-key lights and fire for the scenes at night. Editors Michael Balson, David Stiven, and Tim Wellburn do excellent work with the editing as it captures the energy of the action with some jump-cuts as well as some transition wipes and dissolves to help play into the non-action scenes. Art director Graham “Grace” Walker does amazing work with the look of the cars as well as the oil refinery which looks a bit like a fortress. Costume designer Norma Moriceau does fantastic work with the costumes as some of the marauders wore some kind of strange leather gear with spikes and masks.
Makeup supervisor Lesley Vanderwalt does nice work with the makeup from the look of some of the characters as well as the Mohawks of some of the marauders. Sound editor Bruce Lamshed does terrific work with the sound in capturing the atmosphere of the action as well as the sound of gun fire and engines as it add to the film’s chaotic tone. The film’s music by Brian May is superb for its bombastic orchestral score that add to the action and suspense as it is a major highlight of the film.
The film’s marvelous cast include some notable small roles from Arkie Whiteley as the captain’s girlfriend whom the gyro pilot is fond of, Max Phipps as a marauders crier Toadie, Virginia Hey as a woman warrior who isn’t fond of Max at first, Michael Preston as the settlers’ idealistic leader Pappagallo, and Kjell Nilsson as the marauders’ charismatic leader Lord Humungus who is never seen without his mask as someone that wants to bargain with the settlers or else would cause mayhem. Emil Minty is fantastic as the feral kid who wields a boomerang that can kill people as he is fascinated by Max despite the fact that he never says anything other than scream and bite.
Vernon Wells is excellent as Lord Humungus’ henchman Wez as this Mohawk-sporting marauder who is quite wild and vicious as he shoots arrows from his arms. Bruce Spence is brilliant as the gyro captain as a gyro-copter pilot who is kind of the film’s comic relief as a wanderer that is trying to survive as he would eventually be an ally of Max. Finally, there’s Mel Gibson in an incredible performance as Max Rockatansky as a loner with an Australian Cattle Dog who is just moving along to not deal with anything as he reluctantly help some settlers as a way to get him back in touch with reality as it’s a very restrained yet chilling performance from Gibson.
Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior is a phenomenal film from George Miller that features a great performance from Mel Gibson. Armed with dazzling visuals, high-octane action sequences, and a chilling story of survival in the post-apocalyptic world, it’s a film that offers so much in terms of what is expected in action films but also provide something more as it’s about a man trying to come to grips with loss and his reluctance to reconnect with humanity. In the end, Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior is a spectacular film from George Miller.
George Miller Films: Mad Max - (Twilight Zone: Nightmare at 20,000 Feet) – (Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome) – (The Witches of Eastwick) – (Lorenzo’s Oil) – (40,000 Years of Dreaming) – (Babe: Pig in the City) – (Happy Feet) – (Happy Feet Two) – Mad Max: Fury Road - (Three Thousand Years of Longing) - Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga - (Mad Max: The Wasteland)
© thevoid99 2017
Based on the novel by John le Carre`, A Most Wanted Man is the story of a German security agency leader who leads a team of German and U.S. security agents to track down a political refugee from Chechnya who has entered Hamburg. Directed by Anton Corbijn and screenplay by Andrew Bovell, the film is a suspense-thriller where a group of individuals track down a man who could be anything as they hope to protect the world. Starring Philip Seymour Hoffman, Rachel McAdams, Robin Wright, Daniel Bruhl, Nina Hoss, Grigoriy Dobrygin, and Willem Dafoe. A Most Wanted Man is a chilling yet evocative film from Anton Corbijn.
The film revolves around a security agent leader who learns that a half-Chechen, half-Russian man, who is the son of a Russian mafia leader, has arrived to Hamburg seeking political asylum as well as revealing he is the heir to money his father has hidden wanting nothing to do with it. It plays into this increasing sense of paranoia that looms around the world as this German security official is forced to go rogue with his team as they want to know what this young man is doing in Hamburg as he’s aided by an immigration lawyer and a wealthy banker who has the money that belongs to the young man. Andrew Bovell’s screenplay is quite unconventional in terms of its lack of grand suspenseful moments in favor of investigation and see if the man they’re targeting is a threat. Leading the pack is Gunther Bachmann (Philip Seymour Hoffman) as he is a man that’s seen a lot including the events in Beirut in the early 1980s as he is been asked to track down a noted Muslim philanthropist who is believed to be funding a terrorist group.
When Bachmann receives word that Issa Karpov (Grigoriy Dobrygin) is in Hamburg trying to seek asylum with the help of the immigration lawyer Annabel Richter (Rachel McAdams) who hears about Karpov’s situation as well as the banker Tommy Brue (Willem Dafoe) whose father laundered money for Karpov’s father many years ago. Much of the first act is about Bachmann doing his job as well as deal with others wanting Bachmann to go after anyone and deal with them personally as he befriends the American securities agent Martha Sullivan (Robin Wright). The second act is about Bachmann trying to find Karpov and what he’s really trying to do as they target Richter for information and wanting her help. Richter and Brue are reluctant to help at first but they would be the ones to get Karpov to get access to his money as well as go after the Muslim philanthropist Dr. Abdullah (Homayoun Ershadi) where Bachmann has secret meetings with Dr. Abdullah’s son Jamal (Mehdi Dehbi). All of which leading to Bachmann finding a way to help both Karpov and Dr. Abdullah in the chance he could do something right and regain some idea of hope.
Anton Corbijn’s direction is quite straightforward though it has elements of style as it is shot largely on location in Hamburg, Germany with additional shots set in Berlin. While much of the compositions that Corbijn creates are straightforward in terms of the wide and medium shots. It’s his emphasis on the latter as well as close-ups that give the film an intimacy as well as the way Corbijn would shoot compositions or scenes of Bachmann doing surveillance with his team in a van. There are some hand-held shots in the film as well as a few stylized crane shots in parts of the film as Corbijn wanted to create something that feels real with the audience feeling like they’re a part of a team.
The direction also maintain a low-key approach to the suspense where it would give the film a slow pace that is challenging due to the lack of action for much of the film. It all plays into Bachmann trying to do what he feels is right yet has to contend with the fact that there’s others involved who have their own interest and ideas of justice. Even if that idea doesn’t involve what is right for a safe and secure society. Overall, Corbijn crafts a thrilling yet engaging film about a German securities agent trying to help a Chechen man gain asylum.
Cinematographer Benoit Delhomme does excellent work with the cinematography with its usage of low-key and colorful lights for many of the interior/exterior scenes set at night as well as a more natural look for the scenes set in the daytime. Editor Claire Simpson does fantastic work with the editing as it feature some jump-cuts to play into the suspense and drama while it is largely straightforward to play into its slow yet methodical pace. Production designer Sebastian T. Krawinkle, with set decorator Yesim Zolan and art director Sabine Engelberg, does nice work with the look of the places that Bachmann and his team work at including the interrogation base where they try to get answers from Richter as well as the home of Brue.
Costume designer Nicole Fischnaller does terrific work with the costumes as it largely straightforward in terms of the look of the characters with many of the top security officials wearing business-like clothing. Visual effects supervisor Malte Sarnes does some good work with the visual effects as it’s mostly set-dressing for a few locations. Sound designer Frank Kruse is brilliant for the sound in capturing the world as well as how audio is recorded during some of the surveillance as it’s a highlight of the film. The film’s music by Herbert Gronemeyer is amazing for its low-key mixture of electronic music and soft orchestral strings to play into the drama and suspense while the soundtrack features music from Gang of Four, Phil Phillips, Claudia Brucken, Brainbox, Tom Waits, and Roy Orbison that is played on location including a jukebox.
The casting by Simone Bar and Jina Jay is great as it feature some notable small roles from Derya Alabora and Tamer Yigit as a Muslim mother-and-son duo who take Karpov in, Kostja Ullmann and Franz Hartwig as a couple of Bachmann’s associates who help watch over Karpov and Richter, Vicky Krieps as a female agent who works for Bachmann, Rainer Bock as Bachmann’s superior who wants him to nab Dr. Abdullah, Mehdi Dehbi as Dr. Abdullah’s son Jamal, and Homayoun Ershadi as Dr. Abdullah as a Muslim philanthropist who is possibly connected in funding a terrorist organization as Bachmann wants to help him do good in the hopes he can be saved. Daniel Bruhl is superb as Bachmann’s jack-of-all-trades in Maximilian who helps watch over everything as well as do whatever he can to get things done.
Nina Hoss is fantastic as Bachmann’s right-hand woman Irna Frey as a woman who approaches things much more differently than Bachmann as she would prove to be someone that even Richter can trust. Grigoriy Dobrygin is excellent as Issa Karpov as a political fugitive who has fled Chechnya as he seeks political asylum as well as not wanting anything to do with his father’s dark legacy in the hopes he can start over. Willem Dafoe is brilliant as Tommy Brue as a wealthy banker who learned about what his father did for Karpov’s father as he tries to do whatever he can to put the money Karpov is supposed to inherit for good. Robin Wright is amazing as Martha Sullivan as an American securities agent who is trying to understand what Bachmann is doing as she is willing to help him despite her own motives as it relates to what her country wants.
Rachel McAdams is remarkable as Annabel Richter as an immigration lawyer who is trying to help Karpov gain asylum as well as deal with the severity of her situation as she is reluctant to trust Bachmann only to see what he’s really trying to do. Finally, there’s Philip Seymour Hoffman in a phenomenal performance as Gunther Bachmann as a securities agent official who is trying to find a way to stop any form of terrorism from happening as he learns about a political prisoner seeking asylum as he tries to do whatever he can to help as Hoffman displays a humility and weariness to his role as a man had seen a lot as this mission gives him some idea that he could bring hope to the world.
A Most Wanted Man is a marvelous film from Anton Corbijn that features an incredible leading performance from Philip Seymour Hoffman in one of his final film roles. Along with its great ensemble cast, themes on security and justice, and eerie visuals, it’s a film that explores the post-9/11 world where everyone is trying to identify who is on the right side and if the people that’s supposed to protect are in the right side. In the end, A Most Wanted Man is a sensational film from Anton Corbijn.
Anton Corbijn Films: Control (2007 film) - The American (2010 film) - (Life (2015 film))
© thevoid99 2017
Directed by Charlie Kaufman and Duke Johnson and written by Kaufman that is based on his own play under the pseudonym Francis Fregoli, Anomalisa is the story of a lonely man who meets a woman at a hotel in Cincinnati prompting him to realize not everyone is identical to him. Presented in a stop-motion animated film, the film is an exploration of a world where everyone is the same as a man copes with that sense of loneliness in his life. Featuring the voices of David Thewlis, Jennifer Jason Leigh, and Tom Noonan. Anomalisa is a mesmerizing yet evocative film from Charlie Kaufman and Duke Johnson.
The film revolves around a man who is arriving to Cincinnati for a conference he’s holding on customer service as he copes with his loneliness and the decisions he’s made in his life as he meets a woman he would fall for. It takes place in the span of 24 hours as this man is dealing with the fact that he is probably one of the few who feels different as everyone else around sounds or look the same. Charlie Kaufman’s screenplay is filled with a lot of dialogue that play into the internal and emotional crisis that the film’s protagonist in Michael Stone (David Thewlis) is going through. Many of the people he encounter all kind of have the same face in some ways and all with the same voice in different ways as he also copes with the fact that he still carries a letter from a former lover who lives in the city.
When he encounters a woman named Lisa Hesselman (Jennifer Jason Leigh), Stone begins to feel more upbeat as well as open himself to Lisa who is quite insecure herself as she is in the city with a friend to attend Stone’s conference. The two would have a drink with Lisa’s friend Emily as it would lead to Stone’s fascination with Lisa as it is clear they have a lot in common. Notably as they’re two people unhappy in their life as Kaufman’s script doesn’t really have much of a plot in favor of exploring these characters who both don’t feel like they fit in with anyone.
The direction of Kaufman and Duke Johnson is definitely entrancing for the way they present the film in this form of stop-motion animation in the way the characters look as well as the world they’re in. With the help of animation director Dan Driscoll, the film’s direction would have Kaufman and Johnson create some unique camera movements as well as some tracking shots for some long takes in some scenes though the camera has to move one frame at a time as it relates to form of stop-motion animation. There are also some unique compositions with the usage of the wide and medium shots in the way Kaufman and Johnson would film the conversations. Part of the animation’s look of the characters are reminiscent of the art of puppetry as there’s outlines of the character’s faces in the eyes and jaws so that they can move their body parts while they talk or display some form of emotional expression.
There are also moments in the film where the animation takes some risk such as a sex scene between Michael and Lisa as it does have a lot of emotional weight. Even as it play into the former’s need to find himself and what he wants in life as it would culminate with this conference that would be the catalyst for the anguish he’s dealing with in his life. Overall, Kaufman and Johnson create a compelling and riveting film about a man dealing with an existential crisis while meeting another lost woman at a hotel in Cincinnati.
Cinematographer Joe Passarelli does brilliant work with the cinematography from the way all of the interiors are lit as well as how the exterior settings are presented in the lighting. Editor Garret Elkins does excellent work with the editing as it is quite straightforward to play into the drama and bits of humor while there are a few stylish cuts for a surreal sequence late in the film. Production designers John Joyce and Huy Vu do amazing work with the look of the hotel halls, the hotel rooms, and other places including some of the exteriors of the city. Costume designer Susan Donym does fantastic work with the look of the clothes and how they would move as well as play into the personality of the characters.
Visual effects supervisors Billy Brooks, Culley Bunker, Stuart Cripps, and Derek Smith do terrific work with the visual effects which is essentially a bit of set-dressing as well as a key moment in a surreal sequence. Sound editors Christopher S. Aud and Aaron Glascock do superb work with the sound as it captures some of the atmosphere of the hotel bars, the conference room, and other sound effects that was created for the film. The film’s music by Carter Burwell is wonderful as it is this very low-key score with its somber orchestral score and jazz-like music to play into some of the dramatic moments of the film where there is also an original song in the film sung by Tom Noonan as well as a cover of Girls Just Wanna Have Fun sung by Jennifer Jason Leigh.
The film’s cast mainly consists of three actors with Tom Noonan providing the voice for pretty much all of the characters with the exception of the two protagonists as he provides a variation of voices the many characters in the film as if they’re all the same. The voice performances of Jennifer Jason Leigh and David Thewlis in their respective roles as Lisa Hesselman and Michael Stone are incredible as they both provide the sense of loneliness and despair into their roles with Leigh being very lively in her voice role with Thewlis in a more dry and cynical approach that would loosen up as the story progresses.
Anomalisa is a phenomenal film from Charlie Kaufman and Duke Johnson. It’s a film that doesn’t play by the rules while showcasing that animated films can explore adult subject matters as well as be racy. Even as it’s a film that is quite complex and dares to ask big questions about life and what it means to live. In the end, Anomalisa is a spectacular film from Charlie Kaufman and Duke Johnson.
Related: Synecdoche, New York
© thevoid99 2017
Directed by David Yates and written by J.K. Rowling that is based on her fictional guidebook, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is the story about a British wizard who arrives in New York City where he tries to find three magical creatures who had escaped from his suitcase as he is aided by a demoted Auror, her Legilimens sister, and non-magical baker in retrieving them as he’s been accused of unleashing a mysterious creature wreaking havoc on the city. The film is a prequel of sorts to the Harry Potter universe as it takes place in 1926 New York City as it follows around a young Newt Scamander who would write the guidebook on magical creatures. Starring Eddie Redmayne, Katherine Waterston, Dan Fogler, Alison Sudol, Ezra Miller, Carmen Ejogo, Samantha Morton, Jon Voight, Ron Perlman, and Colin Farrell. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is an extraordinary film from David Yates.
Set in 1926 New York City as the magical community is dealing with anti-wizard sentiment from individuals as well as the threat of Gellert Grindelwald wreaking terror around the world. The film revolves around a young British wizard in Newt Scamander who arrives to the city originally going to Arizona to bring a creature home where he would embark on a series of misadventures in the cities as he would be accused of unleashing a creature that is causing all of the trouble in the city. Among them would involve a non-magical man who would accidentally take Scamander’s luggage causing trouble when three magical creatures are loose forcing Scamander to retrieve them with the non-magical man and two other wizards. J.K. Rowling’s screenplay explore not just the wizarding world in New York City which is very different from Britain but also how they’re having a hard time trying to conceal it to the non-magical community as they’re called No-Majs.
There are multiple characters involved in the story that would play into Scamander’s search as well as him being a major suspect of the terror that is looming around the city. One of the antagonists is an anti-wizard activist in Mary Lou Barebone (Samantha Morton) who wants to expose the wizarding world as she turns to a newspaper publisher in Henry Shaw Sr. (Jon Voight) for help as he’s busy making a senate campaign for his son Henry Jr. (Josh Cowdery). Scamander would come across Barebone early in the film though she is unaware of what he really is as the meeting would set off a chain of events when one of his creatures in a niffler would go inside a bank as he would meet the No-Maj Jacob Kowalski (Dan Fogler) who is trying to get a loan to start a bakery. Accidental events happen where Scamander is taken by the demoted Auror Porpentina “Tina” Goldstein (Katherine Waterston) for his actions where they go on a chase to find the three missing creatures with Kowalski and Tina’s younger sister Queenie (Alison Sudol) who is a Legilimens that is very interested in Kowalski.
Also involved in the search for the mysterious creature that is wreaking havoc in the city is a magical securities director in Percival Graves (Colin Farrell) who believes that Barebone’s adopted son Credence (Ezra Miller) might know what it is and where to find it in exchange to free him from the abuse of Barebone. Yet, so much is happening as it play into the search for the mysterious creature wreaking havoc in the city while the three creatures that Newt is trying to find prove to be more fascinating as he has a collection of them inside his luggage which he is studying for the book that he would later create. At the same time, he is trying to learn more about his new surrounding as he is also coping with his own issues which Queenie would learn accidentally as it play into his eccentric and awkward persona when he’s around people as he’s more comfortable with magical creatures and animals.
David Yates’ direction is definitely dazzling in terms of the world that he creates though the film begins with a montage of the chase for Grindelwald as he’s only seen briefly from the back as it sets the tone for much of the film with the wizarding community in New York City struggling to hide this terror from the non-magical community despite the verbal attacks from Barebone. Shot mainly at the Warner Brothers studio lot in Hertfordshire, England with some of it shot in London and St. George’s Hall in Liverpool as 1926 New York City. The film does play into a world that is filled with intrigue but it’s also quite rich in the way the wizarding community presents itself as house-elves are doing jobs and bartend speakeasies, goblins are the leaders of the financial world, trolls are also citizens, and there’s even a government based in New York City known as the Magical Congress of the United States of America (MACUSA) led by President Seraphina Picquery (Carmen Ejogo).
There are also laws that is established such as that magical and non-magical people can’t socialize while magical creatures are banned which makes Scamander’s mission not just difficult but also the need to prove that he’s not the one causing trouble. There are some wide shots in the film to establish the locations yet Yates would use medium shots and close-ups to focus on the characters as they deal with trying to find the lost creatures as well as go after the mysterious creature wreaking havoc on the city. Yates would mix in elements of suspense and humor throughout the film as it would culminate with this grand third act as it play into the reveal of this mysterious creature as well as Scamander’s suspicions towards Graves who has his motives in wanting to find this creature. Especially in his interest towards the troubled Credence which makes Tina uneasy as Credence played a part in her demotion prompting her and Scamander the need to confront Graves. Overall, Yates creates an enchanting and exhilarating film about a British wizard trying to save New York City from a mysterious creature and retrieve three others from harm with the help of two American wizards and a No-Maj baker.
Cinematographer Philippe Rousselot does amazing work with the film’s beautiful cinematography as it has a sepia-like tone to the way some of the daytime exterior looks in terms of grey skies and sunny look as well as the usage of lights for some of the scenes at night including the interiors inside Scamander’s home-made zoo inside his luggage. Editor Mark Day does excellent work with the editing for its usage of montages for the opening sequence as well as some jump-cuts for some of the action and other stylish cuts to play into the drama and suspense. Production designer Stuart Craig, with art directors David Allday and Leslie Tomkins plus set decorator Anna Pinnock and associate set designer James Hambidge, does amazing work with the look of 1926 New York City from the home of MACUSA, the apartment that the Goldstein sisters live in, Newt’s zoo inside his luggage, and the dreary home of Barebone. Costume designer Colleen Atwood does fantastic work with the costumes as it play into the period of the mid-1920s with some dresses for the women as well as the clothes that President Picquery wears.
Hair/makeup designers Fae Hammond and Marilyn MacDonald do nice work with the look of the hairstyles of the women as well as the haircuts that men had and the makeup for a few of the characters in the film. Visual effect supervisors Tim Burke, Pablo Grillo, Christian Manz, and David Watkins do incredible work with the visual effects from the design of the different creatures that Scamander has collected including his pet plant-like creature in a bowtruckle as well as the look of the city and other magical things. Sound designers Glenn Freemantle and Eilam Hoffman do superb work with the sound from the way some of the creatures sound to the sounds of terror and suspense in some of the darker moments in the film. The film’s music by James Newton Howard is wonderful for its bombastic orchestral score that play into the action and suspense as well as some low-key music for the light-hearted moments while music supervisors Alejandro de la Llosa and Karen Elliott provide a jazz-like soundtrack to some of the original songs played in the film.
The casting by Fiona Weir is marvelous as it feature some notable small roles from Dan Hedaya as the voice of house-elf elevator operator, Kevin Guthrie as Tina’s supervisor, Ronan Rafferty as Henry Shaw Sr.’s youngest son Langdon who wants to help Barebone expose the wizarding world, Josh Cowdery as the cruel and arrogant Henry Shaw Jr., Jenn Murray as Barebone’s adopted eldest daughter, Faith-Wood Blagrove as Barebone’s youngest adopted daughter in Modesty whom Credence suspects to have magical powers, and Zoe Kravitz in a small role as the picture of Scamander’s former lover Leta Lestrange. Ron Perlman is terrific as the speakeasy owner Gnarlack as a goblin who was an informant of Tina as it is a charming role in this mixture of visual effects and performance-capture. Jon Voight is superb as Henry Shaw Sr. as a newspaper owner who would come across a major incident as he wants to go after the mysterious creature. Carmen Ejogo is fantastic as President Seraphina Picquery as the leader of MACUSA who is trying to ensure the law and make sure the magical world isn’t exposed as well. Samantha Morton is brilliant as Mary Lou Barebone as an anti-wizard activist who wants to expose the wizarding world as well as destroy wizard and witches while being very abusive towards Credence.
Ezra Miller is excellent as Credence as Barebone’s adopted son who is troubled by the beatings he receives from Barebone as he befriends Graves who promises him a chance for freedom in exchange for knowledge of the mysterious creature wreaking havoc. Colin Farrell is amazing as Percival Graves as a magical securities director for MACUSA who is in charge of protecting wizards as he is very powerful while having his own reasons for helping Credence. Alison Sudol is incredible as Queenie Goldstein as Tina’s younger sister who is kind-hearted as well as being an accomplished Legilimens, the ability to read minds, where she knows what to do to help out her sister, Newt, and Jacob whenever they get into trouble.
Dan Fogler is marvelous as Jacob Kowalski as a No-Maj cannery worker who aspires to become a baker that finds himself being exposed to the world of magic via accident as he proves to be a helpful ally for Newt and prove his worth to the world of magic. Katherine Waterston is phenomenal as Porpentina “Tina” Goldstein as a demoted Auror who works in a lowly position at MACUSA as a witch trying to do what is right as it was the reason she got demoted while helping Newt retrieve his creatures to realize that he’s not the one that is at fault for the chaos in the city. Finally, there’s Eddie Redmayne in a remarkable performance as Newt Scamander where Redmayne provides this very odd and eccentric collector of magical creatures who arrives to New York City where he unknowingly causes mayhem as Redmayne has this air of charm into his role but also that awkwardness that allows him to be vulnerable when it comes to people as he prefers the company of magical creatures.
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is a sensational film from David Yates and writer J.K. Rowling. Featuring a great ensemble cast, top-notch visual effects, amazing art direction, lovely visuals, and a compelling story about a wizard’s arrival into America. It’s a film that explores the world of magic in a different setting that allow audiences to be enchanted into what the magical world in America is like from the mind who brought Harry Potter into the world. In the end, Fantastic Beats and Where to Find Them is a spectacular film from David Yates.
Harry Potter Universe Films: Harry Potter & the Sorcerer's Stone - Harry Potter & the Chamber of Secrets - Harry Potter & the Prisoner of Azkaban - Harry Potter & the Goblet of Fire - Harry Potter & the Order of the Phoenix - Harry Potter & the Half-Blood Prince - Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows Pt. 1 - Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows Pt. 2 - Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald – (Pt. 3) – (Pt. 4) – (Pt. 5)
© thevoid99 2017
For the first week of September 2017 as part of the Thursday Movie Picks series hosted by Wanderer of Wandering Through the Shelves. We venture into animated films but that are catered toward adults as animated films are often catered towards children but there have been films that are made specifically for a mature audience. Here are my three picks:
1. Fantastic Planet
Based on the novel by Stefan Wul, this French sci-fi animated film revolves around tiny humanoids who are kept as pets and slaves by these large blue aliens leading to a revolt in a faraway planet. It’s a very strange yet entrancing film by Rene Laloux as it does have some political and social commentary yet it has a richness in its two-dimensional hand-drawn animation that is engaging to watch. Even as it has artwork that says a lot about what the universe could be and how aliens can mess it up for the humanoids who would rebel.
2. Heavy Metal
One of the finest cult films of the 1980s that would inspire a much-beloved episode of South Park, the animated film based on the fantasy-comic magazine is an anthology film of sorts with many different stories. All based on an orb that tells the story of the different journeys he took, many of the stories are racy and violent with some humor as it features a lot of the music of the many acts of the early 80s from Journey, Blondie, Cheap Trick, Black Sabbath, and many others. It’s definitely a fucking trip of a film but so fun to watch.
3. Chico and Rita
Set in the world of pre-Castro Cuba during the age of big bands and Cuban jazz, the film is the story of a piano player and singer who both fall in love and dream of making it big as they travel to America where they struggle to gain acceptance. It’s a film that is presented in hand-drawn animation to play into the look of the late 1940s and early 1950s as it also feature some nudity and violence to showcase a couple who love and inspire each other. The film isn’t just filled with rich animation but it has this incredible music soundtrack that really capture a period of the times as well as what makes Cuban music so sumptuous.
© thevoid99 2017
Directed by Nick Broomfield and Rudi Dolezal, Whitney: Can I Be Me is a documentary film about the life and death of singer Whitney Houston told through interviews with those who were close to her as well as rare footage of her 1999 world tour which where some believed everything about her unraveled. The film is an unconventional documentary that showcases Houston’s rise as a megastar in the 1980s and 1990s but also her own personal struggles with herself that lead to her dependency on drugs which lead to her eventual death. The result is a chilling and sobering film from Nick Broomfield and Rudi Dolezal.
On February 11, 2012, singer Whitney Houston had died at the age of 48 in a bathtub at a hotel in Beverly Hills as the announcement was a major shock all over the world. Yet, there were those who knew her and were close to her saw the news as something they had expected as the documentary reveals not just the events of her decline. During the course of the film, Nick Broomfield and Rudi Dolezal would cover her early years in Newark, New Jersey where she was born as well her early rise to fame where she was mentored by Arista Records founder Clive Davis and many others as this idea of the quintessential African-American pop princess. It was a role where despite the array of awards, massive records sales, and acceptance by everyone, Houston had a hard time playing that role as the reality came to ahead at the 1989 Soul Train Music Awards where she was booed when she was announced as a nominee.
That same night, she would meet R&B bad boy Bobby Brown whom she would marry a few years later and gain a daughter in Bobbi Kristina in 1993 as they would marry until 2007 when they divorced. The film does chronicle their tumultuous marriage as two people who both born in African-American communities with dependencies on substances as the marriage would be wild. Yet, there are also comments about Houston’s relationship with longtime friend Robyn Crawford as it is rumored that Houston had a lesbian relationship with Crawford. This closeness with Crawford would cause a lot of issues as it relates to Brown as he and Crawford didn’t like each other as the tension between the two was at its peak during the European leg of Houston’s 1999 tour promoting her 1998 album My Love is Your Love.
The 1999 tour is the key aspect of the film as it was directed by Dolezal with a camera crew as a tour documentary that never got released. The footage would showcase not just the growing tension between Brown and Crawford but also some of the backstage antics that occurred with Houston as Brown would become more involved in the tour even though Crawford was the tour’s creative director. There are performances shown in the film as well as new interviews with many who were part of the tour including a hairstylist who was one of Houston’s longtime friends as she commented about Houston’s physical and emotional state. The footage would also play into moments that are fun and lighthearted as it relates to Houston with Brown or with Crawford but some of it showcase how it would unravel as many believe that Crawford was the person that tried very hard to get Houston off of drugs. When the tour ended, Crawford left Houston’s camp and never returned as many felt that Crawford’s departure from Houston’s life was the beginning of the end.
Broomfield would do many of the new interviews with the help of cinematographer Sam Mitchell as musicians, backup singers, and a few others including Houston’s brothers, and her mother in famed gospel singer Cissy Houston are among those interviewed for the film. Two of the people interviewed in the film such as Houston’s longtime hairstylist and a British bodyguard who worked with Houston from 1988-1995 are among those who really talk about Houston’s drug abuse as well as the chaos in her life. Houston’s hairstylist and Houston’s brothers would admit that Houston had done drugs when she was a teenager as it wasn’t serious until she met Brown who wasn’t into drugs but was into alcohol as the combination of those two substances led to trouble. Houston’s bodyguard would talk about that troubled relationship as well as a story about Houston overdosing on cocaine during the production of Waiting to Exhale as he would write a report about the need for an intervention which was dismissed by those wanting to maintain Houston’s career when it was hot.
With the aid of editor Mark Hoeferlin and sound re-recording mixer Mark Adrian Rozett, Broomfield and Dolezal would gather a lot of interviews from Houston in the past as well as audio interviews as it play into her struggles with not just substance abuse but also herself and her devotion to God as she originally aspired to be a gospel singer like her mother. Much of the music presented in the film is essentially Houston’s from live performances due to the fact that Broomfield and Dolezal are unable to get full permission from Houston’s estate to use her music while the score music by Nick Laird-Clowes is very low-key in its ambient-setting as it play into Houston’s own emotional state. Especially as the film would stop at 2006 in Jamaica where Houston is vacationing with her family and a drug counselor as it marked the end of her relationship with Brown.
Whitney: Can I Be Me is a marvelous film from Nick Broomfield and Rudi Dolezal. It’s a very chilling documentary that explores the life of one of the greatest singers who ever lived and her tragic fall as well as a woman wanting to maintain her identity when the industry wanted to be America’s pop princess. In the end, Whitney: Can I Be Me is a remarkable film from Nick Broomfield and Rudi Dolezal.
Nick Broomfield Films: (Who Cares?) – (Proud to Be British) – (Behind the Rent Strike) – (Juvenile Liaison) – (Whittingham) – (Fort Augustus) – (Soldier Girls) – (Tattooed Tears) – (Chicken Ranch) – (Lily Tomlin) – (Driving Me Crazy) – (Diamond Skulls) – (Juvenile Liaison 2) – (The Leader, the Driver and the Driver’s Wife) – (Aileen Wuornos: The Selling of a Serial Killer) – (Monster in a Box) – (Tracking Down Maggie) – (Heidi Fleiss: Hollywood Madam) – (Fetishes) – (Kurt & Courtney) – (Biggie & Tupac) – Aileen: Life and Death of a Serial Killer - (His Big White Self) – (Ghosts (2006 film)) – (Battle for Haditha) – (Sarah Palin: You Betcha!) – (Tales of the Grim Sleeper) –
© thevoid99 2017
Based on the book by Artur London and Lise London, L’aveu (The Confession) is the real-life story of Artur London who had been abducted, interrogated, and imprisoned during a series of trials by the Soviet Union. Directed by Costa-Gavras and screenplay by Jean Semprun, the film is a political thriller that explore the Soviet Eastern bloc show trials and the troubled journey that London took as he is played by Yves Montand. Also starring Simone Signoret, Gabriele Ferzetti, Michel Vitold, and Jean Bouise. L’aveu is an eerie yet gripping film from Costa-Gavras.
Set from 1951 Czechoslovakia to the day the Soviet Union invaded Prague on August 21, 1968, the film is about Artur London’s arrest for claims that he had betrayed the communist party in his country where he would be abused and interrogated forcing him to confess his actions. Told largely as a flashback where London is telling his story to a couple of journalists in France in 1965, the film’s screenplay by Jean Semprun doesn’t reveal this twist until the beginning of the second act as it’s more about the events that lead to London’s arrest and his time in prison where he is given unconventional methods of torture to confess as he would reveal things where some of it featured some truth as well as time with a man who is revealed to be an American spy. It’s a script that is presented in a very unconventional manner as there’s flashbacks and voice-over dialogue present throughout London’s interrogations and torture as he would tell them to journalists.
The film’s second half would also introduce to the man who would be London’s interrogator in Kohoutek (Gabriele Ferzetti) as he would get answers as it is all part of big public trial for London and several others accused of betrayal. Even as London’s wife Lise (Simone Signoret) is trying to get him out of prison but is conflicted due to wanting to not get in trouble with the communist party as she ends up making a decision that would impact her greatly. The film’s third act is about the trial and its aftermath as well as the 11 who would be executed including the man that gave London and 12 other colleagues in trouble with the Soviet Union.
Costa-Gavras’ direction is definitely engaging for the way he opens the film with London noticing he’s being followed and watch as he does his usual day-to-day activities as it builds up the suspense very slowly. Shot mainly in France as Czechoslovakia for some of the exteriors, the film spends much of its time inside the prisons where London has no clue where he’s at or what time it is as he’s often blindfolded or wearing glasses that block his vision. While there’s a few wide shots in the film, much of Costa-Gavras’ direction involve more intimate shots with the usage of medium shots to capture the space of the jail cells, the interrogation rooms, and other rooms in the prison where it can be claustrophobic at times. Still, Costa-Gavras maintains an air of intrigue throughout the course of the film during these interrogations where the methods are torturous as it’s not just physical but also mental. By the time Kohoutek enters the film, it definitely become a game of wits with Kohoutek trying to gather everything he can from London as there is a sense of repetition in what London has to say for the public trials.
There are some wide shots in the trial sequence as it include a moment of humor to play into the grandness of what is happening. The scenes set in 1965 at the South of France are much simpler as well as the scenes in the aftermath as it’s more about what London had been through and what he would see happen to his home country. Especially when he’s forced to see the fallacy of what the communist movement was all about and the accusations he had been given over his loyalty to the party. Overall, Costa-Gavras creates a very captivating and unsettling film about a man being forced to confess for crimes and such he probably didn’t commit.
Cinematographer Raoul Coutard does brilliant work with the film’s cinematography as its usage of low-key lights for the scenes in the prisons as well as the lack of sunlight for some of the exteriors, with the exception of the scenes at the south of France, to play into the grimy world of Czechoslovakia. Editor Francoise Bonnot does excellent work with the editing as it’s very stylized with its jump-cuts, slow-motion cuts, and some montages to play into the drama and suspense. Production designer Bernard Evein does amazing work with the look of the prison cells, the courtroom, and other places that play into this cold world of Communist Czechoslovakia. The sound work of William Robert Sivel is superb for capturing the atmosphere of the prisons as well as the way some of the sounds of the torture devices are presented. The film’s music by Giovanni Fusco is fantastic for its sparse yet eerie score filled with dissonant strings and keyboards to play into the melancholic elements of the film.
The film’s terrific cast features a large ensemble that include Jean Bouise as a factory boss and Michel Vitold as a communist party official. Gabriele Ferzetti is incredible as Kohoutek as an interrogator for the Soviets who would use unconventional methods to get London to sign documents and reveal things as it is a very restrained performance from Ferzetti who doesn’t get mad but knows what to do when he’s pushed. Simone Signoret is amazing as Lise London as London’s French wife who is concerned about her husband but is also aware of what she has to do to avoid prison time as she is forced to make some serious sacrifices. Finally, there’s Yves Montand in a tremendous performance as Artur London as a vice-minister of foreign affairs for Czechoslovakia who is accused of treason as he wonders what he’s done as it’s a very demanding performance that require a lot of physicality as it’s one of Montand’s finest performances.
L’aveu is a phenomenal film from Costa-Gavras that features top-notch performances from Yves Montand, Simone Signoret, and Gabriele Ferzetti. Along with its eerie visuals and intense look into the Soviet show trials, it’s a political thriller that showcases what a man would endure to answer questions he has no answers for as well as a look into a dark period of time in Eastern Europe where the Soviets would question its most die-hard loyalists. In the end, L’aveu is a sensational film from Costa-Gavras.
Costa-Gavras Films: (The Sleeping Car Murders) – (Shock Troops) – Z - (State of Siege) – (Special Section) – (Womanlight) – Missing (1982 film) - (Hanna K.) – (Family Business) – (Betrayed (1988 film)) – (Music Box) – (The Little Apocalypse) – (Mad City) – (Amen.) – (Le Couperet) – (Eden is West)
© thevoid99 2017
Based on the novel by Robert C. O’Brien, Z for Zachariah is the story of a nuclear holocaust survivor who finds another survivor as she takes him in where their quaint life is disrupted by the arrival of another survivor. Directed by Craig Zobel and screenplay by Nissar Modi, the film is a look into people dealing with their own emotions as they all try to survive the aftermath of a nuclear holocaust and restart their lives. Starring Margot Robbie, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Chris Pine. Z for Zachariah is a riveting and somber film from Craig Zobel.
The film revolves around the aftermath of a nuclear holocaust as a young woman who had survived the event as she would meet an engineer who would help her get electricity in her home as they form a friendship that is later disrupted by another survivor who had lurking around. It’s a film that explore three people dealing with loneliness as well as being the possible survivors of a nuclear holocaust where there is very little land where they can be safe as there’s areas around this young woman’s family farm where it is contaminated with nuclear radiation. Nissar Modi’s screenplay doesn’t have much of a plot as it’s more about the need to survive and start all over as the protagonist Ann Burden (Margot Robbie) spends much of her time planting seeds and creating crops as well as pick up whatever she needs wearing a gas mask and such to contaminated areas.
When she encounters John Loomis (Chiwetel Ejiofor) in a radiation suit as he arrives to the non-contaminated area until he swims onto a contaminated pond with a waterfall is where Ann helps him get better despite his leg injury. Much of the first act is about Ann and her time with John as the latter sees the waterfall as a way to create a water wheel for a power generator that Ann has but in need of repairs. The second act prompts the arrival of Caleb (Chris Pine) who would lurk around until Ann’s dog had sniffed him as he would be taken in despite John’s reluctance. It would set the tone for what is happening during the course of the film as John is suspicious of Caleb but does realize that Caleb is still a helpful man who had endured his own experience with the nuclear holocaust.
Craig Zobel’s direction is quite straightforward in terms of the setting and compositions though there are some stylistic shots that do pay homage to the films of Andrei Tarkovsky. Shot mainly on location in New Zealand with some of the small town locations shot in West Virginia, Zobel’s direction does have some wide shots to establish the location as well as the sense of isolation the three characters are in as if they are the only survivors left. Much of the direction would be simple in the way Zobel would frame the characters as well as build small moments of suspense including the scenes in the second half where there is tension between John and Caleb but it is very restrained. Zobel would hint into some of the sexual tension that is looming within the three but have the characters remind themselves that there is so much more at stake as it relates to survival as well as what to do to stay alive. Even in the usage of close-ups and medium shots to play into the drama where the third act is about building this water wheel for the power generator as well as what Ann wants in her life. Overall, Zobel crafts a gripping yet evocative film about a trio of people trying to live their lives following a nuclear holocaust.
Cinematographer Tim Orr does brilliant work with the film’s cinematography with its usage of natural lights for many of the exterior scenes as well as candle lights for some of the interior scenes at night. Editor Jane Rizzo does excellent work with the editing as it is straightforward for much of the film with some rhythmic cuts for the suspenseful moments. Production designer Matthew Munn, with set decorator Amber Richards and art director Ken Turner, does fantastic work with the look of the home that Ann lives as well as a gas station nearby with thing she hasn’t taken and a church that her father used to run.
Costume designer Bob Buck does nice work with the costumes as it’s mostly casual with the exception of the radiation suit that John wears early in the film that Caleb would wear later on in creating the water wheel. Visual effects supervisor John Bair does terrific work with the some of the film’s minimal visual effects as it’s mostly set-dressing for some of the exteriors such as the trees and clouds. Sound editor Rich Bologna does superb work with the sound in creating some unique textures for some of the exteriors that play into the air of silence as well as these quiet moments that add to the dramatic suspense. The film’s music by Heather McIntosh is wonderful as it’s mainly an ambient score that play into the sense of isolation and uncertainty while music supervisor Laura Katz provides a soundtrack that mainly feature bits of religious music as well as some early 20th Century jazz.
The casting by Kerry Barden, Allison Estrin, and Paul Schnee is great as it mainly feature its three principle actors with Chris Pine in an incredible performance as Caleb as a drifter who arrives during the film’s second act as he would formally appear as someone that had seen the outside world as he finds himself attracted to Ann while being aware of John’s suspicions. Chiwetel Ejiofor is remarkable as John Loomis as an engineer who is dismissive towards ideas of religion yet he tries not to say much about it to Ann as he is a man of science where he tries to help her fix things as he also copes with his own sense of loss and longing. Finally, there’s Margot Robbie in a phenomenal performance as Ann Burden as a young woman trying to rebuild her family farm to sustain herself with the things she needs as she finds herself tempted by the presence of two men who have feelings for her knowing that she needs them to help her out.
Z for Zachariah is a marvelous film from Craig Zobel with top-notch performances from Margot Robbie, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Chris Pine. Along with its minimalist script, gorgeous visuals, and themes on survival and isolation, it’s a film that explore a trio of people dealing with the aftermath of a nuclear holocaust and see if they can live with one another without any problems. In the end, Z for Zachariah is a remarkable film from Craig Zobel.
Related: Compliance
© thevoid99 2017
Directed and edited by Michelangelo Antonioni and screenplay by Antonioni and Gerard Brach with contributions by Tonino Guerra from a story by Antonioni, Identificazione di una donna (Identification of a Woman) is the story of a filmmaker trying to find the right actress for his next film as he embarks on having affairs with different women during the course of his search. The film is an exploration of a man trying to deal with the recent dissolution of his marriage while turning aspects of his life into film. Starring Tomas Milian, Daniela Silvero, and Christine Boisson. Identificazione di una donna is an evocative yet haunting film from Michelangelo Antonioni.
The film follows a filmmaker who is trying to get started on a new film but has a hard time finding the right woman to play the lead as he copes with the dissolution of his marriage and creative issues where he would embark on two different affairs with two different women who would make an impact in his life. It’s a film that revolves around a man trying to understand his own faults with women as he would try to find the idea of the ideal women during the course of his own existential journey of sorts. The film’s screenplay by Michelangelo Antonioni and Gerard Brach has this very odd structure in the way it follows the character of Niccolo (Tomas Milian) who is working to create a new film as he would meet a socialite in Mavi (Daniela Silvero) in which he would have a relationship with. Much of the first act is about Niccolo’s relationship with Mavi where he is fascinated by her beauty but has a hard time dealing with the cliques she’s in.
The second act is about the relationship coming apart but also Niccolo’s search for Mavi once she leaves him as he would meet an actress named Ida (Christine Boisson) early in the film’s third act. She presents a completely different idea and personality in comparison to Mavi as she is more earthly and humble as opposed to the more bourgeoisie Mavi. Still, he is obsessed with finding more about her as he would also cope with the fact that his idea of the ideal woman for his film is really just a fantasy.
Antonioni’s direction is definitely ravishing for the way he explores a man’s own sense of isolation and sense of not knowing as he wanders around Rome and nearby locations including Venice as it play into Niccolo’s own journey into finding his muse. Antonioni’s approach to compositions and imagery is key to its approach in Niccolo’s view of the world though it starts off sort of comical where he gets into his home only for the alarm to be turned on. It’s among the few instances of humor that Antonioni would put in throughout out the film yet he prefers to understate the drama as it’s more about Niccolo in these different environments whether it’s at this very posh yet dull party where everyone is full of themselves or at an aquatic center watching a swimmer he thinks he might cast for his next film. Also serving as the film’s editor, Antonioni would create some rhythmic cuts for the film but mostly prefers to let the shots linger for a minute as it’s all about Niccolo reacting toward his surroundings which includes this chilling yet gorgeous scene set entirely in a fog.
The fog sequence is one of several moments in the film that play into the sense of the unknown where it’s frightening for the fact that Niccolo and Mavi are both trying to hide from a stalker that is after Niccolo for some unknown reason as it is a bit of a metaphor for their relationship which is often unpredictable. By the time the film’s third act emerges, Antonioni would go into some carefully-precise compositions that include some unique crane shots and shots looking up as it play into Niccolo’s own search for Mavi but also his own revelations about his obsession towards her and how he’s becoming attached towards Ida. Yet, there is still a melancholia in Niccolo as he reacts to the world around him and wonders if he does have something to offer to women in an emotional and romantic level. Overall, Antonioni creates a provocative yet intoxicating film about a man’s search for the ideal woman for both his film and in life.
Cinematographer Carlo di Palma does brilliant work with the film’s cinematography with its emphasis on colors for some of the interior scenes at night including the usage of exterior lights for scenes at night as well as the approach to low-key lighting for the fog sequence. Production designer Andrea Crisanti and set decorator Massimo Tavazzi do excellent work with the look of Niccolo’s apartment as well as the country home he would take Mavi to as well the parties hosted by some of Mavi’s friends. Costume designer Paola Comencini does fantastic work with the costumes as it is mostly casual with the women wearing mainly some stylish clothing.
The sound work of Mario Bramonti is amazing for its intricate sound design to capture some of the atmosphere of the locations including the fog scene as well as a few social gatherings and quieter moments in the film. The film’s music by John Foxx is superb for its electronic-based score that is a mixture of ambient, jazz, and new age music that is often played on location while music supervisors Dante Majorana and Lia Scarpa would maintain that mixture of electronic music, Italian pop, and classical with contributions from the former as well as acts such as XTC, Tangerine Dream, Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, Steve Hillage, Japan, Gianna Nannini, Mercenaries, Fausto Cigliano, and Edvard Grieg.
The film’s incredible cast feature some notable small roles and appearances from Itaco Nardulli as Niccolo’s nephew Lucio, Sandra Monteleoni as Mavi’s sister, Dado Ruspoli as a lover of Mavi’s mother, Veronica Lazar as Niccolo’s sister Carla, Marcel Bozzuffi as the mysterious stalker, Enrica Fico-Antonioni as a friend of Mavi in Nadia, and Lara Wendel as a young woman at the swimming pool facility who reveals something to Niccolo about Mavi. Christine Boisson is amazing as Ida as a young stage actress who would provide a sense of grounding and optimism in Niccolo as well as be someone who is quite lively as well as have a sense of compassion. Daniela Silvera is brilliant as Mavi as a socialite who becomes Niccolo’s new lover as someone who is quite ambiguous in her activities as well as be someone that is vain at times but also carry secrets of her own. Finally, there’s Tomas Milian in a marvelous performance as Niccolo as a filmmaker who is dealing with the aftermath of his divorce as he tries to find the ideal woman for his film while coping with his own flaws as well as the uncertainty over what story to tell for his next film.
The 2011 Region 1/Region A DVD/Blu-Ray from the Criterion Collection presents the film in a new high-definition digital restoration in its original 1:85:1 theatrical aspect ratio in Dolby Digital mono in Italian with new and improved English subtitles. Though the DVD/Blu-Ray’s lone special feature is the theatrical trailer, it does come with a booklet that features an essay and an interview with Antonioni by film critic Gideon Bachmann. The essay entitled The Women in the Window by film critic John Powers doesn’t just talk about the film and its themes but also Antonioni’s own comments on how women are depicted in the era of post-women’s liberation movement. Powers also talks about Niccolo’s own existential journey and the alienation he is dealing with towards the new Italy with its sense of modernism and what he wants in a woman. Powers definitely does a compare/contrast toward both Mavi and Ida in how they present themselves as well as showcase scenes that show their true selves in front of Niccolo as he ponders his own faults as well as wondering if everything he’s looking for is just a fantasy.
The second piece of text entitled A Love of Today for the summer 1983 issue of Film Quarterly is an interview with Antonioni by Gerard Bachmann conducted on July 22, 1982 just a few months after the film’s premiere at the 1982 Cannes Film Festival where it won the festival’s 35th Anniversary prize. The interview has Antonioni talk about his methods into storytelling as well as his ideas of making film where he prefers to document something that he had seen rather than make something up. He also talks about audiences’ interpretation of the characters and situations which he is glad that people are willing to make interpretations as he also share his own views on the characters in the film. Antonioni also discusses about the ideas he’s made and what he was supposed to do next which was supposed to be set on the sea near America as a way to explore human emotion and such. Unfortunately, that film would never be made due to a stroke Antonioni would have in 1985. Yet, the interview is a fascinating read to gather the thoughts of a filmmaker late in his career as he still had something to say.
Identificazione di una donna is a phenomenal film from Michelangelo Antonioni. Featuring a great cast, gorgeous visuals, hypnotic sequences, a mesmerizing music score and soundtrack, and a rapturous story about identity and alienation. It’s a film that bear a lot of the hallmarks expected from Antonioni but it is also very intimate film in its exploration of a filmmaker trying to find the ideal woman in both life and in film as he wanders around a world that is ever-changing. In the end, Identificazione di una donna is a sensational film from Michelangelo Antonioni.
Michelangelo Antonioni Films: (Story of a Love Affair) – (I Vinti) – (The Lady Without Camelia) – Le Amiche – (Il Grido) – L'Avventura - La Notte - L'Eclisse - Red Desert - Blow-Up - Zabriskie Point - (Chung Kuo, Cina) – The Passenger - (The Mystery of the Oberwald) – (Beyond the Clouds) – Eros-The Dangerous Thread of Things
© thevoid99 2017
