misha-wilkin's Reviews

Last Year at Marienbad (1961)

7/10

17 March 2003

The characters may or may not know each other. The relationships developed between the characters may or may not have been real. This film is open to interpretation to say the least. I have only watched this film once and this may be to my determent but sitting through this film again would be torture.

Watching this film creates a surreal world of eerie characters in a dreamlike state. The characters are vacationing at some type of upper-class spa in Europe. The male lead (X) is trying to convince the female lead (A) that they had an affair the previous year that led them to become deeply in love with each other. The woman has no recollection of this affair and basically the movie entails the male character trying to convince the female character of the worship they have for each other but it seems the woman is in denial or the male character is mistaken. The third character (M) who could be the woman's (A) husband reminds me of Frankenstein. He is tall slight man who never loses at playing this triangle game with toothpicks. He seems to linger around being in the right place at the right time to reinforce his uncanny creepiness.

My simple interpretation of this film is that when the characters are wearing black they are conscience, when they wear white they are dreaming. A complex interpretation would be that memory is subjective in each individuals mind. This means that what the man remembers may be true but the woman is trying to suppress the memories because of her apparent marriage to Frankenstein (M) making her recollection objective. A positive note about this film is the cinematography and the use of lighting and point of view to create intense visual imagery. The ornamental detail of the architecture of the hotel is awe inspiring, documenting detail that is not apparent in the world I live in.

I am sure another look at this film may uncover some details I overlooked but I don't think that is going to happen in the near future.

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12 Angry Men (1957)

8/10

A Classic not to be Missed

17 March 2003

The plot of12 Angry Men revolves around the murder trail of a Latino boy who is accused of killing his father. The conviction of the boy would mean a death sentence and the destiny of the boy's life is in the hands of twelve male jurors of ranging personalities. The case seems open and shut with a murder weapon and several witnesses to place the boy at the scene of the crime. For eleven of the jurors the decision is apparent that the boy is guilty but for one juror, Mr. Davis (Henry Fonda), the boy's life should entail some discussion to eliminate any reasonable doubt the jurors may have. As the film progresses the personalities of the jurors become apparent and many underlying issues influence the guilty decision chosen by the majority of the jurors.

The underlying issues are the complexity of the personalities of the jurors and the reasons why they have the motivation to feel and act the way they do. As the case unfolds further, more is learned about each juror individually. The personalities range from being a short-tempered loud mouth to a straight- laced accountant who never breaks a sweat. As the movie progresses much more is learned of the characters that exposes the intricacy of human nature and people's different personality traits.

This film is an excellent example of movie making that does not require elaborate sets to entertain the viewer. The majority of the film takes place in a jury room with the men never leaving the room from their deliberation responsibilities. The cast and dialogue make this film memorable and the film has some clear moral issues that are addressed. The main issue is that not everything is as it seems. With further analysis the understanding of a situation becomes more concrete enabling the men to make a solid decision that affects a young man's life. 12 Angry Men is a classic film that should not be missed.

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Sunset Boulevard (1950)

9/10

Creepy - Contains Spoilers

17 March 2003

Warning: Spoilers

Joe (William Holden) is a young screenwriter down on his luck and is struggling in Hollywood to make ends meet after leaving a news reporting job in Dayton, Ohio to pursue a screenwriting career in Hollywood. While avoiding the repo man Jo make a left turn into a situation he will never forget. The driveway he turns into is none other than the famous silent screen diva Norma Desmond (Gloria Swanson) who lives in an amazing decrepit Hollywood mansion. Norma Desmond is a once famous movie star who is having problems facing the reality that stardom is no longer part of her life. Norma has been working on a script for a movie that would star her as the lead character propelling her back into her superstar status. Norma hires Jo to refine the script housing him conveniently above the garage. Jo being broke cannot refuse the offer. When water damage forces Jo to move into the main house Jo becomes more tangled in the web of the temptress Norma. Jo becomes a kept man receiving expensive clothes and trinkets from Norma and loses touch with his life as a budding screenwriter. Opportunities for romance are faltered by the meldding Norma with Jo getting fed up with it all wanting to return to Ohio but he does not make it. Norma gets her final close-up from the news reporters who engulf her mansion to capture footage of the once famous movie star turned murderer.

The film begins with Jo doing a dead mans float literally, reflecting on what went wrong with his interactions with Norma Desmond. This film is classified as a Film Noir and Gloria Swanson's performance creates an eerie feeling anywhere in or around her mansion that complements her creepy character. The audience can tell Gloria's character has a few screws loose and the anticipation for something bad to happen is apparent throughout the film especially because you know Jo is killed at one point in the film.

One of the things I liked the most about this film is the gaudy limo that Norma and Jo are driven around in by Max (Erich Von Stroheim) the butler. The limo is an imported hand made monstrosity that has leopard skin seats. Norma and Jo are driven around like royalty in this limo while people are pointing and laughing at the sheer site of the limo. The funny thing about Max the butler is that he is the director that found Norma as an actress and has accepted a menial job just to be around her. Max is really creepy and seems to being always lurking around the mansion observing what is going on.

Some significant facts about this film are for one the film deviated from the classical Hollywood mold of film making while pointing out what happens to stars that are no longer wanted by film makers and the movie viewing public exemplifying the myth of the Hollywood life. Norma Desmond is a delusional actress that has been used up and no longer needed by the Hollywood film makers. Hollywood did not like the way this idea was portrayed and only time could give the credit due for this film. Gloria Swanson was actually a silent movie start in the 20's and was making a comeback starring in Sunset Blvd. The friends that come to play bridge with Gloria's character were also silent film stars. The butler Max Von Mayerling (Erich Von Stroheim) was actually a prominent silent film director.

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Rope (1948)

8/10

Classic Hitchcock

17 March 2003

Is one person superior to another? Does that person deserve to live more than a person who is considered inferior? Brandon (John Dall) seems to think so. Believing a philosophy learned from his headmaster (James Stewart) at prep school and making it a reality by killing a fellow classmate (David) with his accomplice Philip (Farley Granger). What would make this situation even more intense? How about having a party right after the murder with the corpse stored in a trunk that is used as the buffet table for the supper party. To top it off, just for the shear thrill of it, invite the murder victim's father and fiancé to the party. That is exactly what Brandon and Philip have done in the film Rope.

Brandon's character is an arrogant thrill-seeker who pushes the limits throughout the film. My favorite example is when Brandon uses the rope (murder weapon) to tie the books together that he is giving to the victim's father. From this bold move, Philip becomes disgruntled to the point where their former headmaster (James Stewart) is becoming aware that all is not right in the formal pupil's apartment. Brandon is able to maintain his composure but Philip becomes a nervous wreck who uses booze to suppress his feelings which makes him look guiltier as the night progresses.

Some interesting facts pertaining to Rope are the long takes that compose the film and the film being Hitchcock's first colour creation. The structure of Rope is comprised of continuous action with no breaks in the story that takes place between seven-thirty and nine fifteen at night. Technical aspects that created problems were keeping the background realistic for the time of day it was by adjusting the lighting. Also, having to switch from one camera to another without disturbing the scene was solved by a close-up of a character's back while the camera was switched. The next reel would begin with the same close-up of the character's back. The approach to shoot the film in continuous reels was daring for Hitchcock, however, the final product turned out to be very effective. After shooting four or five reels Hitchcock noticed the colour of the sun was too strong forcing the crew to re-shoot the first five reels. To avoid physical obstacles while shooting, the furniture was on rollers so it could be moved out of the camera operators way. The props were moved so quietly with the help of a special floor and a direct sound track was used from the shooting. The camera positions were marked by numbers on the floor that followed the sequence for shooting the film.

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