7 posts tagged “films”

Inspired by several posts by The Dude, I thought I’d pick-up on his current flurry of film, beautiful actresses, the red carpet and good directors.

Inspiré par les blogs récents par le " Le Dude". J'ai pensé que je contribuerais à ses idées de film, de belles actrices, du tapis rouge et de bons directeurs.

Dans le « 8 ½ » Claudia Cardinale apparaît à côté de deux actrices fantastiques de la période (Anouk Aimee et Sandra Milo). « 8½  » à côté de la La Dolce Vita en tant qu'un du meilleur des films Fellini.

http://www.imdb.com/media/rm1323342336/tt0056801?slideshow=1

C'est une histoire simple. Un homme passe par une crise. Le caractère central Guido (joué par le merveilleux, Marcello Mastroianni) est un réalisateur. Nous le voyons essayer d'accomplir un film tandis que préoccupé des cauchemars, culpabilité et inquiétude et en subissant un traitement à une ressource de santé. Le film nous laisse dedans à son monde de film (acteurs, producteurs, -être-acteurs etc.) et d'amis de Guido, de maîtresses et de famille personnels. Le thème de reproduction de la religion et du catholicisme nous apporte une bande des caractères comprenant des prêtres, des anges et des cardinaux. Et un évêque de vie réelle. On détecte cette scène a été complètement improvisé. Quelques scènes fantastiques dans le film incluent - le rêve de Guido de la vie dans un harem avec l'épouse, la mère et les maîtresses : nous le voyons comme victime et plus docile (brandi avec un fouet). Avec une parcelle de terrain très lâche, par Guido Fellini aborde l'ennui et la tristesse de vie, du désespoir, de la mort et du suicide provinciaux. En conséquence, nous voyons Guido en tant qu'un adulteur, une fraude, inconsistants, effrayés de la vie et nécessitant l'amour maternel. Ce symbole de la pureté ou des moyens au salut qui entre dans presque tous les films de Fellini vient sous la forme et la forme de Claudia (Claudia Cardinale) ; rappelez-vous la jeune fille à l'extrémité de la « La Dolce Vita ». Les films de Fellini me font le rire, se tapissent et pensent (mais pas trop dur).

Dans une entrevue, essais de Constanzo Costantini aux influences illicites sur les travaux de Fellini. « Avez-vous lu Ulysse ? Selon Alberto Moravio, vous devez l'avoir lu et avoir pensé cela : Guido le protagoniste du film, ressemble à Leopold Bloom » Fellini répond « Je suis désolé de décevoir la Moravie, mais je n'ai pas lu Ulysse. » Costantini réplique « … vous font lire Proust, l'auteur plus mentionné par rapport au 8 ½ ? » Encore, Fellini indique « Je suis désolé, mais j'aie peur je dois dire que je n'ai pas. » Costantini pose à « Pardon une question indiscrète : … combien de livres vous font lire dedans les cinq dernières années ? » Et Fellini indique « … Je suis un lecteur passionné des livres magiques, des rapports de cour et des articles de journal. »

In 8 ½ Claudia Cardinale appears alongside two fantastic actresses of the period (Anouk Aimee and Sandra Milo). “8 ½” ranks alongside La Dolce Vita as one of the best Fellini’s films.

It’s a simple story. A man is going through a crisis. The central character Guido (played by the wonderful, Marcello Mastroianni) is a film director.  We see him trying to complete a film whilst troubled by nightmares, guilt and anxiety and undergoing a cure at a health resort. The film lets us in to his world of film (actors, producers, would-be-actors etc.) and Guido’s personal friends, mistresses and family. The recurring theme of religion and Catholicism brings us a band of characters including priests, angels and cardinals. And a real life Bishop. One detects this scene was completely improvised. Some fantastic scenes in the film include - Guido’s dream of living in a harem with wife, mother and mistresses: we see him as victim and tamer (brandished with a whip).

With a very loose plot, through Guido Fellini tackles boredom and dreariness of provincial life, desperation, death and suicide. Consequently, we see Guido as an adulterer, a cheat, fickle, afraid of life and in need of maternal love.  That symbol of purity or a means to salvation which enters almost all of Fellini’s films comes in the shape and form of Claudia (Claudia Cardinale); remember the young girl at the end of La Dolce Vita.

Fellini’s films make me laugh, cringe and think (but not too hard).

In an interview, Constanzo Costantini tries to illicit influences on Fellini’s works. “Have you not read Ulysses? According to Alberto Moravio, you must have read it and thought about it: Guido the protagonist of the film, resembles Leopold Bloom” Fellini responds “I am sorry to disappoint Moravia, but I haven’t read Ulysses.” Costantini retorts “… have you read Proust, the author most mentioned in relation to 8 ½? “ Again, Fellini says “I’m sorry, but I am afraid I must say I haven’t.”

Costantini askes “ Pardon an indiscreet question: … how many books have you read in the last five years? And Fellini says “… I am a passionate reader of magic books, court reports and newspaper items.”

Another great story from Harlan Coban. Adapted for film in classic French style. Acting is very real; suspense perfect.

Francois Cluzet is superb.

Warning, a few plot spoilers and a great review. http://www.futuremovies.co.uk/review.asp?ID=705

Marjane Satrapi's autobiographical novel captured in film.

It's about a young girl growing up in Tehran during 1970's. Marjane is "gobby" and rebellious. Backdrop is eventful, and covers the Iranian uprising and overthrow of the Shah. She shows us how life changed under a new Islamic regime.

Its a smart film. Brilliant black & white animation; narrative is very original.

I saw the film in London. I was expecting subtitles and surprised to see the characters very cleverly dubbed with American/European accents. Odd, but less of a strain on the eyes.

Slightly abrupt ending. Otherwise worth toddling off to the film house.

Directed by Craig Gillespie, Lars and the real girl is smart. 

It's a wonderful and unconventional film about loneliness. I was taken in completely.

It made me laugh, laugh, smile, cry, laugh out loud, cry and smile. In that order.

Ryan Gosling is believable. Emily Mortimer is just superb.  

Into The Wild - Trailer

I was invited to a screening a couple of days ago. Sean Penn, well yes why not. I love him in front of the camera and he ain’t doing too badly behind it. This one is different. Synopsis here (but look out for spoilers).

I love the location shots, fantastic. Vancouver, Mexico-border, Arizona - just wonderful, and shot superbly. It’s a sad story. A very sad story. But it’s quite juvenile. Well adolescent. That's what's wrong with it. I think it will struggle to keep the audience hooked, especially over 2 1/2 hours, and it lacks the depth required for a serious topic and serious movies - quite frankly its thin. I stayed for the entire movie, firstly because I am not allowed to leave a screening, but separately, I did appreciate the beautiful locations and there was some fine acting (Vince Vaughn, Catherine Keener and Hal Halbrook...plus Emile Hirsch).

I think he is a genius.

I am guessing, but am sure Mike would have preferred to have grown-up in England. He has all the symptoms.

For example:

1)      Ridicules the Irish  (I’m a leprechaun – scares Garth in Wayne’s World)

2)      Laughs at the Dutch ( Goldmember refers to Michael Caine as Austin’s “Fartha” and offers Austin a “Sshmoke and a pancake”

Goldmember: Dr. Evil, we still have the ultimate insurance policy. May I present to you, the very sexual, the very toite, Austin Power's fahza.
Dr. Evil: His what?
Number 2: His fahza, Dr. Evil.
Dr. Evil: His farger? What's a farger?
Goldmember: His fahza. You know, the fahza.
Dr. Evil: You know Goldmember, I don't speak freaky-deaky Dutch. Okay, perv boy?
Goldmember: Fahza, his dad, dad is fahza.
Dr. Evil: Oh, his dad. His *fa-ther*

3)      Tempts Liz Hurley with his “ fish & tackle” on the psychedelic ‘60’s jet

Austins - jet

4)      Invented another Irishman:

Paddy O'Brien: What? Why does everyone always laugh when I say that? They *are* after me lucky charms! What!
Frau Farbissina: It's a television commercial. With this cartoon leprechaun, and all of these children are trying to chase him, "Hey, leprechaun, leprechaun man, we want to get your lucky charms." Oh! And there are these little tiny pieces of marshmallow just stuck right in the cereal. So when the kids eat them they think, "Oooh this is candy, I'm having fun!"

5)      Plays a hero – very English

6)      Mike recreates a character Austin Powers which mimics an English spy - Mr. James Bond. James (Austin) flies around in a psychedelic ‘60’s jet

7)      Austin has bad teeth – very English

8)   He even, apparently, woos his partner (in real life) with an English accent.

Please feel free to add.

“Toby Dammit”/ Il ne Faut  Jamais Parier la Tete avec le Diable, is a free adaptation of Edgar Poe’s “Never bet the Devil your Head”. Terence Stamp plays Toby Dammit.

Toby Dammit is indifferent. He is a drunk and takes drugs. An Englishman and a Shakespearean actor down on his luck, he is offered a role in an Italian film, a Catholic Western film. He finally goes to Rome, but only after he convinces the studio to lend him a Ferrari to drive during his stay. In Rome he is surrounded by the infamous paparazzi, producers and journalists. He is dragged around from one party to the next. Boredom sets in and Toby does little to disguise it. He’s obnoxious, rude, and stirs up emotions by publicly stating he is not a Catholic and only believes in the Devil. In a drunken stupor, he leaves one of the parties and finds himself on a bridge in a fast car. There he encounters a fatal accident. He has played against the Devil and loses.    

Producer Raymond Egar came up with the idea of a film with seven episodes, all inspired by Edgar Poe. Each episode would be the labour of a different director. Only three remained. Toby was filmed in 1968, having taken only 26 weeks. Of the three episodes in "Spirits of the Dead", Fellini’s film was the most removed from the original story. He kept only the bridge, the bet (in the original screenplay) and the title.

For those audiences familiar with La Dolce Vita, 81/2 and Juliet of the Spirits, you'll see the usual techniques of Fellini applied here. There is the nostalgia and the dream-like sequences. Fellini pokes fun at the talentless and "larger than life" actresses. He uses the mists and glimmer seen in 81/2 and continues to poke fun at the media industry of the time.

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Critics liked the film. “This is excellent cinema. Any excess is purely functional, designed to draw the essence from Poe’s story”. (Jacques Aumont, Cahiers du Cinema, 1968).

Fellini remarked to Costanzo Costantini in Fellini on Fellini, “Toby Dammit was a tribute to Edgar Poe, a favourite of mine ever since I was a teenager”.