Stan & Ollie

Tags

2010's, Biopic, Drama, John C. Reilly, Jon S. Baird, Laurel and Hardy, Nina Arianda, Shirley Henderson, Stan & Ollie, Steve Coogan

Director

Jon S. Baird

Starring

• Steve Coogan as Stan Laurel
• John C. Reilly as Oliver Hardy
• Shirley Henderson as Lucille Hardy
• Nina Arianda as Ida Kitaeva Laurel

A warmly bittersweet film about the last hurrah of legendary comedy duo Laurel and Hardy, Stan & Ollie is a film that invests you with the double act with just how involving, funny and poignant it is.

We begin in 1937 when Laurel and Hardy are at their peak, but even here they are still paid less than the other stars. Stan wants to get out of his contract with producer Hal Roach, as he doesn’t feel appreciated by him. Oliver wants to keep things as they are and not rock the boat anymore than it needs to be. This instance will be one that plays an important part later in the film. Fast forward to the 1950’s, neither man is at their height of fame anymore. But each has been persuaded to go on a music hall tour in the United Kingdom. Stan, who is the one behind the jokes and material of the routines, hopes what they ear in money can be used to finance a picture Stan wants to do. Oliver is in bad shape and not really a well man, but agrees to reform again. As they soon discover, it’s hard getting back out there because new talent has come along and captured the imagination of the public. The shows begin with not many people showing up in the audience, which doesn’t go unnoticed. Plus, various issues that have long remained dormant threaten to overshadow the tour and tear apart a friendship. But over time, the old magic comes back and the road looks set for a return to form, aided by the support of two sparring wives . Though spanners are thrown in the works, like Oliver’s failing health and with the history of the two, it could just be one last hurrah for the legends of comedy that are Laurel and Hardy.

Jon S.Baird is clearly crafting an affectionate but also revealing portrait of the legends and boy does he ever deliver. Along with the clever script that deftly mixes humour and pathos from Jeff Pope, Baird really dazzles with his warm-hearted but still bittersweet approach to behind the scenes of the lives of the beloved team. Of particular note is the virtuoso opening sequence in one shot of the team in their prime walking through the backlog of a studio, while they deliberate their contract with the slimy Hal Roach . Once the cameras roll, they are the Laurel and Hardy of legend, but there’s more going on behind the stage. The balance between the two elements of emotion and laughs is held neatly and makes the film flow amazingly. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the public argument between the duo which is filled with personal feelings of anger, but mistaken by onlookers as just part of their humorous act. In fact there are many instances of Stan and Ollie slipping into the public image that everyone knows in order to save face or escape from the harshness of life. The humour mingles with the melancholy and has you glued as Stan and Ollie realise that they need the other, despite buried grievances from the past. Credit must go to the staging, editing and make up, that make both lead actors the image of the great comedic duo. The recreation scenes from the movies of the stars is also a stroke of genius and is so precise and well realised. It leaves you smiling and with a lot of feeling, like all good movies should. A music score that is by turns deep and by others light, perfectly embodies what Stan & Ollie is going for in terms of audience feeling. I must admit in finding any fault with this movie as it was the definition of a fantastic cinema experience.

What really makes this movie soar is the lead work from Steve Coogan and John C. Reilly as Laurel and Hardy. Both get all the public mannerisms just right, like Hardy’s exasperated facial expressions and Laurel’s passive simpleton tics. It’s really uncanny as Coogan and Reilly have really done their homework and put their all into it. But it’s watching them reveal the behind the scenes nature of each. Coogan splendidly dives into the brains of Stan Laurel( which ironically go against the role of lovable idiot that he was in the public image) and the underlying sadness of someone wanting to succeed, but is also bitter by events of the past. It’s the fantastic mix of humour and emotion that also transfers to John C. Reilly, whose his equal as Oliver Hardy. Reilly has this sunny disposition that’s set against the alternating feeling of fatigue and hope.  The chemistry between the two works beautifully, much like the men they are portraying and paying tribute to. You never doubt for a minute that you’re witnessing two stellar performances that have great nuance. Sometimes with just a look, they say everything they need to. And while they form the centrepiece of Stan & Ollie, two other supporting members of the cast show they are no slouches either. They are Shirley Henderson and Nina Arianda. Both spark off the other as the spouses of the title characters, leading one person to say ‘two double acts for the price of one’. Both ladies are forceful, funny and entertaining in their own ways and they two contribute largely to the film as the supportive but firm wives.  It’s excellent casting all around for Stan & Ollie.

A wonderfully entertaining biopic that manages to sidestep the usual histrionics and over the top nature of the genre, Stan & Ollie weaves a warm picture that is bolstered by the spot on performances of Steve Coogan and John C. Reilly.

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The Killing of a Sacred Deer

Tags

2010's, Alicia Silverstone, Barry Keoghan, Colin Farrell, Horror, Nicole Kidman, Psychological Horror, Psychological Thriller, Raffey Cassidy, Sunny Suljic, The Killing of a Sacred Deer, Yorgos Lanthimos

Director

Yorgos Lanthimos

Starring

• Colin Farrell as Steven Murphy
• Nicole Kidman as Anna Murphy
• Barry Keoghan as Martin
• Raffey Cassidy as Kim Murphy
• Sunny Suljic as Bob Murphy
• Alicia Silverstone as Martin’s Mother

An unsettling psychological horror with the trademark Yorgos Lanthimos touch and reference to Greek myth, The Killing of a Sacred Deer is very disturbing but impossible to turn away from.

Cardiologist Steven Murphy has it all; a great career, a beautiful ophthalmologist wife Anna and two young, well-behaved children, Kim and Bob. His picture perfect life in the suburbs is seemingly here to stay, but there is a tiny and disturbing hitch too it. He has a friendship with a 16-year-old boy named Martin, who he meets and showers gifts upon. Although is friendly with Martin and introduces him to his family, there is something decidedly off about the whole arrangement that you can’t shake. And soon enough, the demanding Martin, when he’s not trying to set up Steven with his mother, becomes a thorn in side. He becomes more dependent and doesn’t seem to understand that his presence is not always needed. His obsession grows and starts to worry Steven, who mainly took interest in the boy after his father, who he treated earlier, died . Then, out of nowhere, Bob loses the use of his legs and is hospitalised. This is soon followed by Kim, which begins to have an impact on Anna who is in the dark on what is happening. Steven starts to unravel too as things turn worse for his idyllic family and he’s thrown into a tailspin. Yet as illness sets in, an increasingly menacing Martin reminds Steven of a past mistake of his that links to the young boy’s life. Soon everything is under crisis and  Steven’s existence is torn apart by his past actions and the boy who wants to even what he sees as the score.

With a catalogue of films that revel in dark subject matter, unusually black humour and an all round weirdness, Yorgos Lanthimos has really made a name for him. The Killing of a Sacred Deer is Yorgos Lanthimos working fluently and creatively to fashion a story of deep-seated revenge and culpability. He has this bubbling intensity and creeping eeriness that happens right from the startling opening of an open heart surgery. You know from that point on it’s going to be a disturbing movie, but what a movie it is. Lanthimos is in control here; cold and calculating in the style of Stanley Kubrick whose work clearly has an imprint. And while Martin is what seems to be the main antagonist of the piece, the other characters also sport unusual tendencies that mark them out as not as innocent or polished as they outwardly appear. For example, Steven is an arrogant man who can’t handle not being able to exercise control over things. This extends to his love life with his wife, who he has pretend to be under anaesthetic when getting intimate. The deadpan, almost robotic way of talking that has come to populate the work of Lanthimos is here, but does also allow for shadings of emotion and drama in there. And the uneasy and uncomfortable humour further sears itself on to the mind, as characters behave in ways that seem at once alien and yet so ordinary. It’s the kind of humour that you don’t know whether to laugh at or question, and is all the better for it. It sure keeps you on your toes as you navigate another weird world from the mind of Yorgos Lanthimos. And though some of it might sound familiar to lovers of psychological horror, it’s the execution that truly counts and Sacred Deer delivers with its own twist on things.

With long corridors of scrubbed white, cavernous interiors and a zooming, voyeuristic camera, The Killing of a Sacred Deer also deserves praises for what it visually gets across to the viewer. It’s a sinister and slithering atmosphere of increased dread as evil and retribution combine and you feel the hairs on the back of your neck stand up. Credit must go to the cinematographer that is Thimios Bakatakis for imbuing The Killing of a Sacred Deer with such an impending aura of doom and inevitable woe. We often observe characters from a distance or from a looming height; neatly edited and giving the impression of spying on events as they take shape.  The whole psychological aspect of having to make a horrifying decision for something you’ve done is creepy and more than makes its mark on you as the gears of tension continue turning. Discordant strings telegraph that something is not right from the word go and the addition of opera accentuates the tragedy here. The film is influenced by a Greek myth that gives the movie its title and accordingly, the swelling and rumbling of music heralds the approaching agony of loss and blame. Those looking for a comfortable viewing experiences better check those expectations at the door as The Killing of a Sacred Deer is not one for the easily frightened or spooked.

Colin Farrell, who was so good in The Lobster, plays someone spineless and full of themselves here. His character’s  life is so meticulous and to his liking that it’s given a royal kicking when horror unravels. Sporting a bushy beard and his real accent, Farrell is extremely watchable as the cardiologist haunted by the past. Equally as good is the ever dependable Nicole Kidman, who’s been on a roll recently with her performances. With her face that silently projects inner turmoil and frazzled intensity, she’s ideal for the role here that could have easily just been a throwaway part. With Kidman in it, it’s impossible for it to be anything less than stellar, particularly when she comes into her own in the latter half of the film and everything gets laid bare. The Killing of a Sacred Deer is my first introduction to young actor Barry Keoghan. And if the rest of career is as good as his work here, great things await him indeed. He has this naturally mysterious and sinister presence, complimented by how he speaks the dialogue in a halting but intimidating way. It’s enough to set you on edge and Keoghan knocks it out the park as a vengeful teen, dishing out his brand of justice to an idyllic family. Raffey Cassidy plays the daughter of Steven and Anna; who is drawn to Martin even though he’s the one out to ruin her family. Young Sunny Suljic portrays the son, who is the first to fall ill and crank up the eeriness. And it’s nice to see Alicia Silverstone back on screen again with a very memorable one scene performance. She gets the movie’s best line after she is rejected by Steven for putting the moves on him. Everyone gets in to the mindset of the film and the unusual demands of it.

A spine-chilling, deeply unnerving and memorable horror/thriller with psychological terror at the centre, The Killing of a Secret Deer is a haunting movie that is hard to shake off.

Who Are Your Favourite Divisive Directors?

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Movie Directors

You all know the kinds of directors I mean. The ones whose output is regularly under a critical eye of reviewers and public and provoke wildly different reactions with each person. But which directors who fit into this category are your favourites? Lately, the output of Yorgos Lanthimos has really captured my attention. But who is it for you?

The Favourite

Tags

2010's, Comedy, Emma Stone, Joe Alwyn, Nicholas Hoult, Olivia Colman, Period Drama, Rachel Weisz, The Favourite, Yorgos Lanthimos

Director

Yorgos Lanthimos

Starring

• Olivia Colman as Queen Anne
• Rachel Weisz as Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough
• Emma Stone as Abigail Hill
• Nicholas Hoult as Robert Harley
• Joe Alwyn as Samuel Masham

A riotous, outrageous and caustically witty look at the court of Queen Anne and the machinations of it, The Favourite is both savage and very funny as directed by the maestro that is Yorgos Lanthimos.

It is the early 18th Century and England is at war with France. Queen Anne, The last of  the Stuart monarchs, is on the throne but is besieged by sadness, gluttony and manic mood swings. She has lost seventeen children and now keeps seventeen rabbits in their place, while also enjoying many unusual activities. Anne is distracted from her duties as Queen and is extremely vulnerable. She relies heavily on Sarah Churchill, the Duchess of Marlborough. Sarah is powerful and persuasive, trying to make the Queen continue with the war as her husband is at the helm and she wants a level of power. Although she obviously cares for Anne( with who she is secretly sharing a bed), she is very manipulative and uses her position of favourite to her advantage. Although she is in the Queen’s life and attempts to steer her away from the political efforts of leader of the opposition Robert Harley, she doesn’t account for the arrival of someone vying for position. This person is her impoverished cousin Abigail Hill, who was formally of high society but now of a lowly station. She begs Sarah for a job and is put in the scullery. This is much to her chagrin and she aspires for more in life than the drudge of being a simple servant. She gains a chance at climbing the ladder when she helps with making something that eases the gout which the Queen suffers from. Anne takes a shine to Abigail and has her become an ever more present person in her life. Sarah doesn’t take kindly to this, having misjudged Abigail as just a simple innocent. The actual fact is that Abigail is ruthless and cruel, willing to bend over backwards in favour of the Queen but secretly working her vicious powers to secure a foothold in society. Soon a dangerous and vindictive grab for power is at play, with both Sarah and Abigail hoping that they come out on top as the favourite of Queen Anne.

The Favourite finds Yorgos Lanthimos at his most anarchistic, tearing apart the restrained image of period pieces and inserting wildness and dirty games. If period dramas are often seen as rather innocent, The Favourite is a welcome, atypical piece that isn’t afraid to be weird and bracingly eventful. Featuring lust, eccentric activities like racing ducks and lobsters, as well as a very sexually dark atmosphere, The Favourite is very much it’s own being and an amazing change of pace. Historical accuracy is probably not what you’ll find here, but when has history ever been this fun or oddball? The script wisely makes the women layered, peeling back to reveal the flawed but fascinating nature of all of them. And there is genuine emotion to be found in this weird and cruel world of 18th Century court, mostly found in the vulnerable but not completely broken Anne. It may not be written by Lanthimos, but it unmistakably captures his sensibilities and transfers them to a sinfully, devilish and amusing tale of rivalry, coupled with a liberal sprinkling of swear words. And the spinning, panning and fish eye lens employed supplies a dizzying and whirling visual style that marks it as something different. Add to this the flickering, golden interiors that bathe a lot of the action in a dusky setting, The Favourite aces it. On musical grounds, classical music fills the main bulk of the film, creating high drama and a quickening intensity to the power struggle at the heart of The Favourite. The only tiny flaw, and it is very small, is that the film does sometimes run aground and needs a bit more pace. But with that being my only minuscule gripe, I think it’s safe to see The Favourite is one of the most outlandish and excellent movies in my recent memory.

What really brings The Favourite to an amazingly high level is the work of a trio of fine actresses. Comprising Olivia Colman, Rachel Weisz and Emma Stone, they turn in some mightily effective work that ranks as some of their best. Olivia Colman is the centre of it all with a performance of both tragedy and comedy. Anne is a melancholy and almost childlike woman who seems to be as fragile as glass and as changeable as mercury. Colman finds these mannerisms and adds yet more levels to this character, telegraphing a whole host of emotions from pity to humour as Anne shows she’s not as temperamental as she at first appears . Simply put, Colman is winning and ideal in her acting here. Ably matching her is Rachel Weisz; all clear-cut words, biting wit and intense looks. Weisz clearly relishes the dialogue and gets some wickedly, catty put downs. Yet like the other ladies here, Weisz displays another side to her role and makes it multi-faceted. Emma Stone, complete with crisp, English accent, delivers one of her most memorable performances in a role that is far away the most daring one she’s ever done. Being a vindictive charmer whose innocent appearance masks a grasping and scheming viper, Stone’s having a ball. There are flickers of desperation there, but Stone most excels at being nasty and seductive. It’s not hard to see why all three ladies are in awards contention. In supporting roles, Nicholas Hoult is a hoot as a plotting but ridiculous member of Parliament, whose giant wig is as big as his ego. Joe Alwyn also provides much silliness and rakish behaviour as a nobleman who becomes infatuated with Abigail.

A completely brazen and well acted movie that boasts the trademark uniqueness of Yorgos Lanthimos and a strange depiction of power play in regards to royalty, The Favourite stands as one entertaining and unusual movie that for me is a must see. It’s a crowning achievement of directing and acting.

The Lobster

Tags

2010's, Angeliki Papoulia, Ariane Labed, Ashley Jensen, Ben Whishaw, Colin Farrell, Comedy, Drama, Jessica Barden, John C. Reilly, Léa Seydoux, Michael Smiley, Olivia Colman, Rachel Weisz, The Lobster, Yorgos Lanthimos

Director

Yorgos Lanthimos

Starring

• Colin Farrell as David
• Rachel Weisz as Short Sighted Woman
• Léa Seydoux as The Loner Leader
• Ariane Labed as The Maid
• Ben Whishaw as Limping Man
• John C. Reilly as Lisping Man
• Olivia Colman as Hotel Manager
• Jessica Barden a Nosebleed Woman
• Ashley Jensen as Biscuit Woman
• Angeliki Papoulia as Heartless Woman
• Michael Smiley as Loner Swimmer

A provocative and riveting satire on the societal pressures of being in a relationship, The Lobster has Yorgos Lanthimos at his most biting and weird with this drama, highlighted by very dark humour.

In a dystopian future, being in a romantic relationship is enforced. Those who are single are sent to a coastal hotel. David is one such person after his wife leaves him in the opening scenes. Sure enough, he is whisked off to the hotel. He is informed by the Hotel Manager that he must find a soul mate within 45 days. If he fails to meet this deadline, he will be turned into an animal of his choice( his being a lobster that gives the film its title.) Guests are expected to find someone who they share a certain characteristic with, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant. In this strange system, many rules must be obeyed and are punishable with force if one doesn’t submit to the way of thinking. David attempts to find a companion in this bizarre place, as he watches others go to unusual measures to ensure they aren’t transformed. The guests are given some chance at surviving as each night they are sent into the woods to tranquillize people known as The Loners. Each body tranquillised earns them an extra day to find a possible soul mate. After a brutal encounter with a heartless woman, David flees the hotel and into the woods. There he meets The Loner’s; headed by a steely female leader. She explains that The Loners don’t believe in or condone love. In fact, if anyone does fall in love while in their camp, they are buried in a shallow grave that they dug earlier and left to die. What was first an escape from what he thought was a nightmare, being in the company of The Loners is just as restrictive. But David can’t help but fall for a short-sighted woman, a connection that puts him and her in extreme jeopardy. Yet as he is caught between two evils, he must decide what must be done to survive and maybe experience love with the Short Sighted Woman.

Yorgos Lanthimos is on dark and typically idiosyncratic form in his direction of The Lobster. His penchant for wide-angle shots and those that cut out faces are apparent and coupled with a number of close-ups. The grim and evocative cinematography of Thimios Bakatakis, shows the oppressive thinking of most in the film and is like a constant gloomy spectre over them. The fact that a lot of it is natural lighting adds a lot of dimension to the harsh surroundings and creepy underbelly of it. Typical of his work, Lanthimos spins mordant and very black humour into The Lobster. It infuses the movie with a strange tightrope that it walks admirably between dystopian shock and stinging lampooning. Absurdist is the order of the day as shocking events take place but are often undercut with a nasty glee and deadpan delivery. Which brings me to the script, as envisioned by Yorgos Lanthimos and his regular collaborator Efthymis Filippou. The strange, clipped way of speaking that was witnessed in Dogtooth is here, with more bite and laughs thrown into the mix. As troubling happenings and the full nature of both systems David finds himself in unravel, we are left with an acidic critique of modern dating and the implications of it. Lunacy is equated with normalcy here as guests of the hotel and The Loners represent two extremes of opinion and enforcement. Conflict with characters arises as both ends of the spectrum clash. And with most characters rendered no name, only a certain quality, weirdness continues to flow through the veins of The Lobster. Be warned, The Lobster will make you laugh as much as it unsettles with a collection of startling scenes. Macabre is one word that comes to my mind when describing this skewering of partnership and the way we all in some way conform to what’s expected of us in regards to relationships. how snap second judgements are apparent in real world relationships is explored heavily and symbolically by the policy of having to find someone who shares a similarity. Though events are exaggerated to grotesque and horrifying heights, they still have something to say to us about the world. And we are also left to deliberate a lot of things, building an ambiguous current from start to bizarre end. The piercing and often mournful score is unusual and another representation of just how outlandish the premise is and how twisted it is when you think about it.

A stellar cast get in touch with the weirdness and deadpan nature of The Lobster and what Yorgos Lanthimos envisioned. Colin Farrell displays great comedic chops, of the physical and verbal variety. Looking curiously out of sorts( plus shape), with various, vacillating expressions and with a biting look at things, Farrell is a very excellent lead of the film. Rachel Weisz shows the most emotion in the film, having the amazing ability to use a monotone voice(typical of the tone of the work of Lanthimos and in narration here) and have a face that expresses so much, particularly happiness and sorrow. It’s a fine piece of work from the always interesting and talented Rachel Weisz. Léa Seydoux is searing and very chilling as the leader of the opposition, whose methods are just as cruel and unusual as the ones David ran from back at the hotel. If looks could kill, Seydoux would be slaying us all with just how vindictively convincing and brutal she is. Ariane Labed has mystery to her as a maid who you never know if you can trust her or not, as there is something sneaky about her. Ben Whishaw and John C. Reilly exude a certain naïveté about them as two men who ‘befriend’ and both want to avoid transforming no matter what. The two guys work well together and are collaborators who understand the ideas at play here. I liked their scenes with Farrell, where the shared awkwardness is purposefully palpable. Out the supporting cast, Olivia Colman is superb at portraying the cold, blunt and seemingly unfeeling Hotel Manager. Colman is a big standout in her screen time for her timing and delivery.  Jessica Barden, Ashley Jensen and Angeliki Papoulia all embrace the outlandish and creepiness of the piece, with only Michael Smiley being left in the cold with not much to do.

An absurdist story of conformity, dating and dystopia, The Lobster will not appeal to everyone out there. But for those who know of Yorgos Lanthimos and his trademark approach, you are in for a dark but strangely amusing treat that will linger in the mind.

Dogtooth

Tags

2000's, Angeliki Papoulia, Anna Kalaitzidou, Christos Passalis, Christos Stergioglou, Dogtooth, Drama, Foreign Language Film, Mary Tsoni, Michelle Valley, Yorgos Lanthimos

Director

Yorgos Lanthimos

Starring

• Christos Stergioglou as Father
• Michelle Valley as Mother
• Angeliki Papoulia as Eldest Daughter
• Christos Passalis as Son
• Mary Tsoni as Youngest Daughter
• Anna Kalaitzidou as Christina

Dogtooth marks my first introduction to the work of Yorgos Lanthimos and man is it one hell of an intro to this idiosyncratic film maker. Here he creates an unnerving and provocative portrait of parenting gone off the deep end and the weirdness of it all. You won’t be sitting in a comfortable position or thinking of pleasant things once Dogtooth has finished.

In a house in the Greek countryside that is sealed off like an army compound, a Father and Mother raise their three children, a boy and two girls who are never named. Yet the children( who are clearly nearing their 20’s) are treated like they are much younger and we are soon witness to their strange existence. Father and Mother have kept them inside the house their entire lives, with none of the children venturing outside into the big, wide world. They are taught the incorrect definitions of words. They believe they have a brother who lives on the other side of the high garden wall. They believe that cats are fierce man-eating beasts that lie in wait if they should exit their home. They are awarded stickers for good behaviour and violently berated if they don’t fall in line with the rules set up. They are told that they are only permitted to leave when a canine tooth falls out. To say it’s an extreme situation that the kids except as just normality is putting it mildly. The Father works at a factory and is the only one to ever leave the fortress he has made. The only contact with the outside world comes in the form of security worker Christina, who works in the same place as the Father. He enlists her to satisfy the raging hormones and sexual needs of the Son, but this introduction brings with it consequences. Once the other daughters meet her, the Eldest Daughter barters with Christina for first a headband and then video tapes in return for favours. These end up setting off a chain of events that threaten to tear apart the mendacious world the Father and Mother have created for their offspring.

Yorgos Lanthimos as director has this innate ability to make things seem surreal but with some semblance of reality, albeit one that has gone awry. It’s a strange but arresting gift to posses and Lanthimos sucks you in with how he presents such an unusual situation to the audience. It’s the type of place that looks at first idyllic, depending on your viewpoint, before smatterings of violence and graphic scenes appear unexpectedly. It might not be classified as a horror movie, but Dogtooth certainly has its fair share of shocks and squirms. And while Dogtooth is largely disquieting, there are slithers of jet black humour to be found here which is surprising to say the least. But that also gives Dogtooth another edge as you never know just how off kilter things will go. I mean how are you supposed to react when the Son finds flowers in the garden and exclaims “Mum, I’ve found two little zombies?”. I was between shock and giggles by this moment. As written by Lanthimos and fellow screenwriter Efthymis Filippou , Dogtooth is unusual in the extreme yet for all its weirdness, retains the attention with the eerie and often downright cryptic way the dialogue is presented. Even the most absurd moment is delivered with a deadpan seriousness that I wasn’t expecting in the least, but further fans the flames of an already head-scratching experience. Some will scoff at the story and say that there isn’t actually a lot of action, but that is to miss that Dogtooth is aiming to show us just how ordinary this strange world that the parents have made seems to their children. They have no knowledge of outside the house and the compound like structure they call a home, so they have literally been fed manipulative and oppressive lies. The activities they partake in are kooky and absolutely mind-boggling(not to them), but we can’t help but watch how stunted and sheltered they are.

It all crafts something particularly disturbing and like a stone in your shoe, it’s hard to get to the bottom of and shake once there. Which is mainly the point I think; ambiguity holds sway in the world that Lanthimos has presented us with leaving it up to us to decipher our various questions. We may wonder why the Father and Mother have raised their children this way? This is the most burning question of all but one that we ourselves must figure out and put our own meaning on. Dogtooth has that kind of power to make you think and not be spoon fed every single answer or have it tied up with a big, finishing bow. And from a visual standpoint, it’s a massive highlight of Dogtooth. Lanthimos chooses to shoot a lot of scenes with unusually, static wide angles that frequently cut people out of the frame with disorientating effect, further giving us cause to sit up and see where the film will journey to next. Cinematography as provided by Thimios Bakatakis has a harsh and brightly lit quality that bathes events in a sea of white, making the sudden bursts of violence just that little bit more shocking. It also serves as a bitter irony of how the world looks here and what is underneath and about to be thrown out of sync.

All the actors of the film are excellent at getting across the absolutely barmy and creepy nature of proceedings. Christos Stergioglou excels at showing stern and overbearing tendencies that are utterly horrifying from such a parental figure. He plays his role extremely well. The same goes for the rest of the cast who are exemplary, especially Angeliki Papoulia as the Eldest Daughter. She’s given the most to do and her reactions to the outside world creeping in are startling and revealing. What most helps is that they are clearly in tune with the direction of Lanthimos and his crazy, unpredictable vision of helicopter parenting.

A superb entry into the work of Yorgos Lanthimos, Dogtooth is not for all tastes but is horrifyingly compelling throughout. Believe me when I say, it’s got plenty of bite and shock to it and make no mistake about it.

Happy New Year

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New Year

Once more, I want to thank all of my amazing followers. You are the reason I do this. So Happy New Year to all of you, hope it’s a good one. And I promise I will properly back with reviewing once more.

Merry Christmas to All

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Merry Christmas

I want to wish every one of you a very Merry Christmas. May it be a wonderful day for all.

Pandora and the Flying Dutchman

Tags

1950's, Albert Lewin, Ava Gardner, Fantasy, Harold Warrender, James Mason, Mario Cabré, Nigel Patrick, Pandora and the Flying Dutchman, Romance

The quite amazing Maddy is doing a blogathon on the cinematic icon abs beauty that was Ava Gardner. I thought I’d join and give my thoughts on Pandora and the Flying Dutchman.

Director

Albert Lewin

Starring

• Ava Gardner as Pandora Reynolds
• James Mason as Hendrik van der Zee
• Harold Warrender as Geoffrey Fielding
• Nigel Patrick as Stephen Cameron
• Mario Cabré as Juan Montalvo

A ravishing and unusual romantic fantasy, Pandora and the Flying Dutchman relies on the sheer gorgeousness of its visuals and it’s two main stars for what is one arresting movie. It may not be every taste out there, but for the cinematic lover, it’s bound to make a mark with its tragic romanticism and mythical shout outs.

In the coastal Spanish town of Esperanza in the 1930’s, men flock to the beautiful but aloof nightclub singer Pandora Reynolds. She is unmoved by attempts to woo her, even when the results are dangerous. It’s not that she’s heartless, she’s just never found anyone who has elicited a deep love within in. To others, she seems very callous( and in some cases she is and she demands her admirers perform ) but there’s more than just allure to her. It seems her attitude stems from boredom and knowing the power she has over men.She finally meets her match in Hendrik van der Zee. He is a mysterious man who mans a ship that only he sails on. Something about him captivates her like no one before, but he’s curiously distant. Geoffrey Fielding, who is a translator of text and friend of Pandora’s, surmises that is The Flying Dutchman as he’s been studying a manuscript. is doomed to sail the seas after he was condemned to immortality for murdering his wife he thought was unfaithful in the 16th Century. He can only be freed if he finds a woman who is so in love with him that she’ll sacrifice herself. Pandora is currently engaged to race car driver Stephen Cameron , but is also pursued by arrogant matador Juan Montalvo. But it’s Hendrik who most gets her attention and takes her over. Though Pandora falls deeply and unexpectedly for him, Hendrik attempts to push her away as he cares so much about her. Yet is Pandora really willing to give up everything for the man she has finally fell in love with? Let’s just say, tragedy and eventfulness take form in this romantic and mythical fantasy.

Albert Lewin crams the film with multiple mythology references and literacy allusions. This is something I’m a sucker for this kind of thing, as both subjects interest me and put them a in a stylish movie with a folklore inspired undergone, and I’m going to like it. Not every idea of comes off, but an underlying emotion and melancholy brings some of the flights of fancy back down to Earth and is a feast for the eyes and ears. There’s a poetry to the script( which is written by Lewin and story of an impossible love and the sacrifice asked to restore it and the flowery language, mixing metaphors and similes that a wordsmith would be proud of. Lewin does himself proud with this exercise in gorgeous style and heightened emotions. The biggest asset is how the camera truly is in love with Ava Gardner. She glows with an otherworldly glamour and is remarkable to admire. And the cinematography by the outstanding Jack Cardiff, with Technicolor shot through with a moody blue tinge is simply gorgeous at referencing the romantic fatalism of the two main characters .There are a few parts that stretch credulity and become to out there for its own good(along with a running time that’s a tad excessive), but by and large it is a movie that’s heady appeal isn’t wasted on colourful fans of movies deemed as oddities. It’s an exotic, dreamy film with a sheer sense of atmosphere and visual poetry that’s hard to tear yourself away from. It’s far from flawless in a number of ways, but it’s unusual nature and devastatingly splendour are hypnotic. And the score has a really unusual, tragic and lushly romantic aura that covers Pandora and the Flying Dutchman all the way through.

Ava Gardner heads proceedings as the eponymous Pandora, who’s feeling of indifference melt as she falls for The Dutchman. Gardner was a breathtaking beauty who just entranced you from the first time you saw her. That lends itself well to the role of Pandora, as men flock to her everywhere. Yet despite being such a luscious lady, she was also a very good actress. This is sometimes overlooked because of her looks, which is quite unfortunate. Here as Pandora, she exudes an enigmatic charm and a genuinely growing set of feelings that come as a surprise to her as well as us. Gardner has sheer magnetism, both because of her beauty and talent. Her work here is mysteriously masked yet slowly revealing into someone letting their often disguised feelings of love come out. Pandora may act callously and flippantly at first, but once she meets her, she’s slowly transformed into someone very different.so please check it out and marvel at her command of the camera. James Mason adds pathos and weariness as the cursed sailor who is lonely and desolate, but caught in a conundrum once Pandora enters his life. Mason and his mellifluous voice wring depth and guilt ridden anguish from the part that stands as one of many wonderful performances by a fantastic actor. Mason shares an unusual and tentative chemistry with Gardner; both striking off the other with their collective uncertainty and bewilderment at their growing attraction. it really adds to the atmosphere and mythical mood of this film. Filling out the supporting roles are Harold Warrender, who wisely acts as narrator to events, show off beholder of Pandora’s hand Nigel Patrick and strutting Mario Cabré as the matador willing to kill for the love of the eponymous lady. All are great, but it is definitely James Mason and above all Ava Gardner who you’ll remember from this picture.

A most peculiar yet haunting movie that looks sublime in Technicolor, Pandora and the Flying Dutchman is the perfect love letter to the haunting Ava Gardner and shows clearly why she was made for cinema.

An Announcement

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Announcement, New Year

My content lately has been somewhat sporadic, but fear not my fellow bloggers. In the new year, I have a plan devised as a rota to ensure I spend quality time blogging. This also gives me the opportunity to do other things outside of blogging. Just wanted to fill you all in.