The Company of Wolves

Tags

1980's, Angela Lansbury, David Warner, Fantasy, Horror, Micha Bergese, Neil Jordan, Sarah Patterson, Stephen Rea, The Company of Wolves

Director

Neil Jordan

Starring

• Sarah Patterson as Rosaleen
• Angela Lansbury as Grandmother
• Micha Bergese as The Huntsman
• David Warner as Father
• Stephen Rea as Young Groom

A visually arresting and thematically rich dark fairy tale from the pen of Angela Carter and immense craftsmanship of Neil Jordan, The Company of Wolves sucks you right into its world of haunting dreams and metaphors that will be impossible to shake once you’ve viewed them.

The Company of Wolves takes place almost exclusively in the dreams of a young girl by the name of Rosaleen. She dreams of living long ago in a village, surrounding by a foreboding forest. Her older sister is killed by a wolf, sending the village into shock. Her Grandmother, who is wise and filled with stories, arrives and begins informing the sheltered Rosaleen on dark subjects. She explains that her sister wasn’t taken by any wolf, but a werewolf. She goes on to warn her granddaughter of not straying from the path in the wood and keeping distance from men whose eyebrows meet in the middle. Grandmother also gifts Rosaleen with a red shawl, which she almost always wears. At this time, Rosaleen is fascinated by the stories, which include one about a husband going missing. When he returns, his wife has remarried and his rage comes flying out in the form of a transformation into a wolf. Despite the warnings from Grandmother about wolves and that many of them are hard to tell in human form, Rosaleen can’t help but be curious about the opposite sex and alternates between running from growing up and grasping for it. One day, she is sent to visit Grandmother meaning she must take the path through the forest. Let’s just say things get interesting and many things Grandmother told her come into fruition once she meets a mysterious and most unusually seductive Huntsman.

Neil Jordan is the perfect director for The Company of Wolves, due to his skill with visuals and also haunting atmosphere. Both are very much in evidence here as is his wise decision to focus on story rather than just scares. Don’t get me wrong, The Company of Wolves is most certainly an adult horror, but it has more thoughtfulness going for it than you’d think. In short, Jordan is at his best with this movie. The Company of Wolves chock full of symbolism and Freudian overtones, plunging us further into the mind of a young girl who is both excited by and terrified of her own burgeoning sexuality. Carter, adapting from her own spin on fairy tales that was entitled ‘The Bloody Chamber’ and collaborating with the visually inclined Neil Jordan, are a dream team at incorporating the sense of innocence being lost and the feverish emotions of puberty, when the world seems alien to a person. As a viewer, you are taken on quite the experience that slowly intensifies and gathers staggering momentum in terms of thematic material and. The sexuality angle and subject of changing is never far from the screen, with lycanthropy standing for the body altering as you grow up and the way that Grandmother warns of not leading the path( in other words, straying into sin).  It’s not a movie for everyone as the narrative and structure may confuse certain viewers. But for those willing to see a dreamlike horror fantasy that covers curiosity, sexuality and darkness, you should be in for a treat. The effects, mainly in the transformation scenes, use animatronics which might not have the smoothness of CGI, but at least have something more unusual and downright creepy to them. I found myself getting very unsettled as people morphed into werewolves and screamed out in pain as their bodies underwent a severe transformation, which contains all member of messages and interpretations. The eerie sets resemble something from a Hammer Horror and are accentuated by a red heavy colour palette, combining danger, passion and death into an already heady cauldron. A spooky and bubbling score from George Fenton further amps up the unsettling nature of the stories and the dreamlike way they are presented to us.

Young Sarah Patterson possesses a radiant innocence and naivete that is played well and you can see her mind in overdrive as the temptation of adulthood comes calling to her. With her soft voice and angelic face, she is an ideal vision of Little Red Riding Hood in this passionate and very dark fable. Angela Lansbury is on scene stealing duty; capturing a loving kindness and uneasy creepiness of the wise Grandmother who is full of story and warning. Lansbury is a pro in every sense of the word and I loved her eccentricity and slightly off kilter appeal in The Company of Wolves. Micha Bergese has this downright slippery and creepy vibe that is employed to fine effect as he slinks his way around Rosaleen and tempts her. It’s all in the voice and the eyes with him. David Warner is the young girls father in a supporting role, while Stephen Rea makes his story undeniably unnerving and spine-chilling. But by far the biggest star is the atmosphere of it all.

A dark and menacing variation on Little Red Riding Hood and a commentary on reactions to coming of age, The Company of Wolves spins a compelling web of creepy fairy tales and evocative material that you’ll find yourself thinking over for a long time.

V for Vendetta

Tags

2000's, Action, Hugo Weaving, James McTeigue, John Hurt, Natalie Portman, Political Thriller, Stephen Fry, Stephen Rea, Thriller, V for Vendetta

Film Title

V for Vendetta

Director

James McTeigue

Starring

• Hugo Weaving as V
• Natalie Portman as Evey Hammond
• Stephen Rea as Eric Finch
• Stephen Fry as Gordon Deitrich
• John Hurt as Adam Sutler

A provocative and very arresting political/action thriller based on a comic, V for Vendetta is a confronting movie that tackles a lot of controversial topics and ideas with a sense of style and a brain that is sometimes lacking from films usually on this nature.

In a futuristic version of London, chaos has blighted everything along with an oppressive government. Being not dutiful to the ruling power results in imprisonment and death. Activists, homosexuals, and people of different races are frequently targeted just for being different. A virus has claimed many lives in the United Kingdom and Europe. Most prominently is the government in power, run by Adam Sutler; who exercises cruel control over nearly every aspect of the population’s lives. Evey Hammond is a meek young woman who works in a broadcasting company( that churns out propaganda to the people to keep them in line) is caught one night out after enforced curfew. The secret police threaten her and attempt to attack her, but someone comes to her rescue. That someone is V, a masked vigilante in a Guy Fawkes mask, who is skilled in swordplay and fighting. After saving Evey, he demonstrates his real purpose of spurning the population into revolution by blowing up the Old Bailey. The fascist like government doesn’t take very kindly to V’s actions, particularly when he later uses the broadcasting company that Evey works at to display his message of rising up. Every is caught in the middle of all of this and must decide where her loyalties lie. Meanwhile, Chief of Police Eric Finch investigates any leads he can into V, yet finds that his loyalty to the government may very well have been misplaced and manipulated over the years. V’s plans gather a quickening pace as he takes on the corrupt powers that be, with Evey becoming something of an unlikely ally and then ultimately a strong supporter of his cause.

The director, James McTeigue does an inspired and button-pushing job with his directions. He allows the political nature of V for Vendetta to take the centre stage and all the questions that go with it, while never sacrificing action in the process. The film is very much a thinking person’s film and while there are fight scenes and action, it never becomes repetitive because the essence of the story is kept intact. V for Vendetta presents an uncomfortable and shocking possibility of a future that is ruled with an iron fist and with extreme prejudice. Racism, homophobia, the accountability of the powerful and the manipulative agendas of government all come under the spotlight and are never shied away from. This film raises many terrifying what if scenarios that tap into our fears of what the world could become, which isn’t outside the realm of possibility when you think about the countless changes that this world has endured. There is something even timely about the film as it deciphers how fear and panic can be spread and lead people to be threatened by those more powerful than them. Now there are those that will view V for Vendetta as a film that is propaganda or in some cases a dangerous film that advocates terrorism( which I have heard a number of people imply), but I wouldn’t say that the film goes really far with those things. Yes, the main character is someone who uses violence and devastation to make his point, but I think it is up to the individual person to form their own opinion on what the film is presenting and what message it puts across. That’s the way I view V for Vendetta, it can be read on a number of significant levels. Some won’t agree with what it has to say and others may take note, but in the end, isn’t a film supposed to get you thinking? Granted, it may bang the political drum a little too loudly at fleeting points, but the topics it brings up are definitely thought-provoking and stay with you for a long time afterwards. On the visual side, the colour scheme that largely features red, black and white is memorably hard-hitting yet oddly resplendent in execution; showing a world at its knees and the potential of change emerging with the presence of V from the shadows. And there is quite a lot of action going on in V for Vendetta, as the masked title character does brutal battle with other forces in strikingly shot fight scenes. A steady score rises in levels along with events, forming a somewhat rousing musical accompaniment to both V’s aims and Evey’s journey.

As the eponymous V and with only movement and voice to use, Hugo Weaving is masterful. His deep voice is utilized to maximum impact, investing the role of the masked V with an elegance and intelligence. He may be a character capable of lethal and fatal action, but there is something so immersive about him that you can’t help but watch. His graceful movements almost mirror those of a proficient dancer, as he glides with purpose and something deadly too. The part wouldn’t have been the same without someone of Hugo Weaving’s calibre in the role, he just completely embodies it. Natalie Portman is just as good in the role of Evey; whose encounters with V and the aftermath provide a lot of thrust of the narrative with Portman giving a range of feeling to the part that grows stronger and more pronounced as the film progresses. If you’re expecting the part of Evey to be someone who kicks ass and physically fights, you aren’t going to get that. And to think that misses the point that she is an ordinary woman thrust into difficult circumstances and forced to make a stand. Portman plays the journey of her subtly yet expressively, ensuring that there is a natural progression that is believable from scared girl to fearless woman ready to do something. Although her accent is a little shaky, that’s the only foible in the work from Natalie Portman( who memorably shaved her head for the part), who emerges with a strong performance of gathering gumption and depth. The excellent Stephen Rea is well-chosen for the role of the police chief, slowly peeling the layers of deceit back and going between being frightened of V and inspired by him. Solid support comes courtesy of Stephen Fry as a television host having to hide who he truly is and the late, great John Hurt as the imposing dictator with a whole lot of power.

A movie with a lot to say and the balls to go forth with it, V for Vendetta is a film that elicits discussion from many, due to the things it addresses and the ultimate message. For me, it is an engrossing film that while it has required action, puts the story first and packs a punch with its refusal to lessen the blow of what it covers.

The Honourable Woman

Tags

2010's, Andrew Buchan, Eve Best, Genevieve O'Reilly, Hugo Blick, Igal Naor, Janet McTeer, Katherine Parkinson, Lindsay Duncan, Lubna Azabal, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Stephen Rea, The Honourable Woman, Tobias Menzies

Against the backdrop of the Israeli-Palestine conflict, Hugo Blick’s enthralling thriller The Honourable Woman unfolds like the petals of a flower, with the promise of more to be revealed at every turn. Building around political intrigue and the nature of secrecy, we get the story of one woman attempting to atone for the sins of her father and protecting her own potentially devastating secrets from ever being found out. What emerges is a gripping eight part mini series that hooks you instantly. Warning, some spoilers will follow in this review.

Nessa Stein(Maggie Gyllenhaal) is the Anglo-Israeli head of the Stein group. As a child, she and her brother Ephra(Andrew Buchan) witnessed the murder of their father Eli, who supplied arms to Israel. Twenty-nine years later, Nessa has changed the purpose of the company. Instead of selling arms, it is trying to supply telecommunications and data to Israel and Palestine. With this, Nessa hopes to promote reconciliation between the Israelis and the Palestinians. As the story opens she has been made a baroness by parliament for her continuing work in the philanthropic field. Yet as she is about to award a Palestinian with an exclusive business contract in the company, he is found dead apparently having committed suicide. Events become even more murky and dangerous as Kasim, the young son of Ephra’s children’s nanny Atika(Lubna Azabal) is kidnapped. Soon enough, MI6’s smart head Dame Julia Walsh(Janet McTeer),retiring expert on Middle Eastern affairs Sir Hugh Hayden-Hoyle(Stephen Rea) and secret agencies are crawling over the case that seems to all link to Nessa. Nessa attempts to stay unshakable, but as the layers are pulled back we see that her forthright and composed demeanor hides inner pain and turmoil, that threatens to rear its head once again as the situation turns more complex. But in a world where even those closest to you have secrets, is there anyone that she can truly trust? And as we see in flashbacks many events that provide intrigue, most notably Nessa and Atika being kidnapped themselves while in Gaza eight years before, we are left to wonder what secrets are guarded by Nessa and how she will make her way through potentially dangerous situations that now surround and haunt her.

Right from the get go in The Honourable Woman, Hugo Blick crafts an intriguing and vast tapestry of secrecy, international politics and danger. As director, he weaves this tale of distrust and past events to tightly wound perfection, wrapped in a labyrinthine structure. And as writer, he allows the pace to build and build to a conclusion with a tight script, rather than taking the easy way out and revealing everything early on. The Honourable Woman is all about the patience of waiting for the reveal of secrets and it is observed with craft and skill. Some people may dismiss the show as just slow, but it is built up well and really does keep you guessing  for a long time. Tension oozes from this show, as we navigate through a maelstrom of deceit and danger, twinned with the fact that every character has secrets and no one is the easily identifiable hero or villain in the piece. There is a complexity to the story that is reminiscent of Le Carre, but is also very rewarding in the long run as skeletons begin to rattle in closets and threaten to emerge. As Nessa asks in the opening monologue “Who do you trust?” By the end of The Honourable Woman its doubtful that you’ll trust any character or see them in the same light again. The immense built up makes the moments of gruesome violence and shocking events all the more unexpected in the long run. One thing that must certainly be commended in The Honourable Woman is the way it deals with the Israeli-Palestine conflict. Many dramas and thrillers attempt to remain neutral when showing a specific conflict but fail. This isn’t the case of The Honourable Woman as it presents both sides of the argument, how difficult the conflict is to settle because of the history and how no answer is the easiest. And while very much a thriller, it has an underlying drama observed through the complicated characters, especially Nessa who for all the protection around her, from her strong and resourceful bodyguard Nathaniel(Tobias Menzies) to her confidante and PA Frances(Genevieve O’Reilly) , can’t escape from what is put in motion.

A show that is as well-written and densely plotted as The Honourable Woman would have failed with the wrong actors. Thankfully, the actors assembled all bring their excellent credentials and undeniable skill to work here and make it a very riveting ride. Maggie Gyllenhaal is absolutely exceptional in the main role of Nessa Stein, the character that everything hangs on. Displaying the outwardly confident, regal and graceful persona and then peeling back the concealed depth of her character to show confusion and pain, Gyllenhaal is at her best here. Her convincing English accent is another thing to praise as it is so composed and well done. In short, Gyllenhaal embodies the many complexities and changes of her character with dexterity and wisdom, making this one of the finest performances of her career. Andrew Buchan essays the role of Nessa’s brother Ephra, who used to run the company but handed the reins over to his younger sister mysteriously. Presenting the quiet demeanor of Ephra, Buchan manages to display through subtle gestures something darker and haunted about him that makes him a fascinating character to watch. Lubna Azabal quietly embodies the role of Atika, close friend to Nessa and nanny to Ephra’s children, who shares Nessa’s secret from what happened to them in Gaza. Azabal has this amazing ability to convey such deep emotion though the smallest thing, which is highly effective. The scenes between Azabal and Gyllenhaal are excellently played and you sense the deep bond formed between the characters. Stephen Rea and Janet McTeer are on splendid form as members of MI6 drawn into this dangerous case with personal history of their own to contend with. McTeer in particular savours her role as the head of MI6 Julia, whose sharp intellect, quick-witted replies and decisive actions make her a great character in this labyrinthine thriller. Eve Best is well cast as the ruthlessly efficient and mysterious agent Monica Chatwin, while both Genevieve O’Reilly and Katherine Parkinson fill their respective roles as Nessa’s PA and Ephra’s wife very well. Igal Naor steals all of his scenes as Shlomo Zahary, a businessman and friend for many years to the Stein family. There are glimmers of humour to his character that are amusing, but there is also the sneaking feeling that he can’t be trusted. In smaller but still well-played parts, Lindsay Duncan as Hoyle’s estranged wife Anjelica and Tobias Menzies as Nessa’s bodyguard Nathaniel shine with what they’re given.

Relentlessly gripping, precisely filmed and well-acted, The Honourable Woman is a mini series that engages the brain with its mystery and twists.

Interview with the Vampire

Tags

1990's, Anne Rice, Antonio Banderas, Brad Pitt, Christian Slater, Horror, Interview with the Vampire, Kirsten Dunst, Neil Jordan, Stephen Rea, Tom Cruise

Film Title

Interview with the Vampire

Director

Neil Jordan

Starring

• Tom Cruise as Lestat de Lioncourt
• Brad Pitt as Louis de Pointe du Lac
• Kirsten Dunst as Claudia
• Antonio Banderas as Armand
• Christian Slater as Daniel Molloy
• Stephen Rea as Santiago

Accorded a mixed reception upon its release, Interview with the Vampire is a mature, Gothic and well-mounted tale soaked in both sadness and blood from director Neil Jordan and scripted by Anne Rice, from her own novel. I personally have never really had a problem with the film and have felt it has been underrated over the years since its release. Anyway, back to my review of it.

Interview with the Vampire begins in modern-day San Francisco. Daniel Molloy is an eager reporter who documents people’s lives. His client this time is Louis de Pointe du Lac, yet Louis is no ordinary client. He is a 200-year-old vampire. Louis wants to tell Daniel the story of his life after he was “born into darkness”, fascinated Daniel begins to listen. The film flashes back to Louis’ life just before he was transformed into a creature of the night. He was an owner of a plantation just south of New Orleans in 1791, who fell into deep depression after his wife died in childbirth. Wanting to be freed from the pain and suffering, Louis was turned into a vampire by the cunning Lestat. Louis later comes to regret wanting death as Lestat has now condemned him to immortality. He finds it hard to live as a vampire because of his good nature and this impacts on the fact that he can’t bring himself to kill humans in order to survive. Lestat on the other hand shows no mercy and enjoys draining the life away from humans. Although commonly at each others throats, the two are bound because of their vampirism. One night the hunger inside Louis causes him to bite the neck of Claudia, a young plague victim. Lestat sees the little girl as an opportunity for company and something to make Louis stay as he knows the guilt Louis suffers from. He transforms Claudia into a vampire and they form a somewhat macabre ‘family’. As the years pass and the family move from place to place, Claudia forms a bond with both Louis and Lestat. Lestat teaches her to be a killer of which Claudia has no problem as she has a thirst for blood that challenges even the brutal Lestat’s, whereas Louis becomes almost a surrogate father to the child he never had. Claudia eventually becomes resentful of Lestat for turning her into a vampire, as she still retains the doll-like appearance of a young girl but has mentally grown up into a woman. Events soon come to a head between the three as power shifts between them and Louis attempts to search for answers regarding vampires. Stunning visuals, gorgeous set decoration and all round great performances populate this melancholy tale of the loneliness of being a vampire and the Gothic horror surrounding it .

The first thing to praise in Interview with the Vampire has to be Neil Jordan’s directing. We get a vampire movie with a sombre heart that is very adult and mature in theme and does not pander to a younger audience. Anne Rice writes the screenplay from her own novel and generally succeeds in being faithful to the source material. The visual design of the film should definitely be praised for the way it captures the various time zones and countries encompassed within the narrative, from Louisiana to Paris. Set decoration is particularly stunning in the scenes of an underground group of vampires that Louis and Claudia find, the various catacombs and chasms glimmering in candlelight with a Gothic splendour. Make-up and effects are also of the highest order in bringing to life the lives of these vampires. Standout scenes include Louis watching his last sunrise before his transformation, Claudia convulsing violently during her metamorphosis as her blonde hair morphs into red curls and a gruesome scene of vampires putting on a play involving the sacrifice of an innocent victim. The score provided makes for an eerie listen that highlights the themes of darkness and sorrow; the opening sound of a single choir boy’s voice singing a lullaby is enough to send chills down the spine. The presence of Louis’ mournful narration adds a certain pathos to the story, as we listen to his experiences and how he feels that being a vampire is a curse, and not a gift. 

Although there was controversy surrounding the casting of Tom Cruise as the flamboyant and sadistic Lestat, Cruise handles the role in an effective enough way. It’s not one of his best performances but he still gives the role his best shot. Brad Pitt is very good as the tortured Louis, bringing sympathy to the role of a man living an endless life of regret and pain. It is Louis who forms the centre of the story as we witness his reluctance to harm in order to survive and his relationship with Claudia. The biggest impression made on the film has to be a very young Kirsten Dunst as Claudia. She plays her role with an astonishing amount of maturity whilst also showing a devilish side to this vampire. Claudia is the most tragic of the trio of main vampires; as an audience we feel her struggle at learning that although her mind has matured, her outward appearance will always be that of a young girl. In many scenes, Kirsten Dunst steals them from her more experienced co-stars with her mix of startling complexity, expressive eyes and sense of entrapment. Fleshing out the supporting players is a seductive and dangerously charming Antonio Banderas as the head of a secret sect of vampires, Christian Slater as the man listening to Louis’ extraordinary story and a menacing Stephen Rea as the deceptive Santiago.

For those who want a sumptuous, blood-soaked tale of regret, Interview with the Vampire is most certainly advised viewing. Bold, melancholy and mature, it is a vampire film that questions the effects of transformation and whether it is as great as it first appears.