Zoe Watches: Star Wars I-III

I have been a fan of Star Wars for as long as I can remember. However, like all fans brought up to love the series by their fathers, I am a lover of the old trilogy – A New Hope, Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi – and not so much the new one – The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith.

However, it struck me recently that I could no longer remember what had even happened in the new trilogy, despite constantly reiterating that I disliked them and chiding those who felt otherwise. And thus, I rewatched them. Oh boy, did I rewatch them.

WARNING: apologies to Patrick Star, but this may contain spoilers if you do, in fact, live under a rock.

Episode 1: The Phantom Menace (IMDb)

The coolness of this poster is completely unrelated to the quality of this movie

As a child, I don’t think there was anything I hated more than this film. When I decided to rewatch it, I honestly expected to either laugh or cry at how bad it was. But this film is on a whole other level of badness -

It’s just plain boring.

Take the plot, for example. Some people don’t like new trade laws and so decide to occupy Naboo, all while squabbling over legalities and politics. Meanwhile, some Jedi policemen types decide to escort the elected Queen (elected Queen? They should have chosen a better word) elsewhere, during which mission they land on the ‘dangerous’ Tatooine (where nothing dangerous happens to them) and put THEIR SAFETY, THEIR SHIP AND ALL OF THEIR MONEY at the mercy of a ten year old boy who does nothing more than profess to be kinda good at racing and building things. After, by some miracle, he wins them stuff, they all go back to the planet nation thingy to have an extremely short war… about trade.

I kept waiting for something, anything, to happen, but nothing eventuated, with the plot plodding along, with nothing even mildly exciting happening, unless you count pointless action sequences that were more an exercise in graphic design than anything else (I like my battles epic and laden with drama – Cloud City, anyone?). The only person who promised to be mildly interesting – Darth Maul, a.k.a. spikey red-faced guy – never spoke a single word and only had one real battle in which he did have a rather spectacular death by being cut in half. Everything else that was mildly interesting just served as a teaser for all the other films.

I am a threatening presence in this film, rah

Speaking of Darth Maul, is he the titular Phantom Menace? Or is it Darth Sidious, a.k.a. Senator Palpatine? Is it Anakin? WHO???

In the end, I ask myself, as many fans have done time and time again: What on earth was George Lucas thinking? The film added nothing to the franchise, except for showing Anakin when he was young and at the beginning of his Jedi training/relationship with Padme. Yet, we learn next to nothing about the man who will later become Darth Vader. I mean, he has a mother (who he loves), mad Jedi skillz and a boner for Natalie Portman. But that could have probably been ascertained in a much shorter running time.

Episode II: Attack of the Clones (IMDb)

This movie is where shit actually begins to go down. Anakin grows up into a semi-competent actor, who is nice to look at if nothing else, while Padme mysteriously remains the same age, making their relationship decidedly less creepy (particularly with the politic decision not to reveal their ages in the movie universe). And thus we have the first shades of requited romance in the new trilogy, made all the more dramatic by the whole Jedi-cannot-love thing.

Sexy people... with weapons!

In addition to this, an actual intergalactic problem is happening as nation planets are abandoning the Senate, creating the Separatist movement in the wake of an ineffective intergalactic government. This creates some legit political drama on a much larger scale than the Naboo trade dispute.

Thus, we actually have a two-layered plot! Such luxury!

I actually quite like this film. It was a lovely marriage of all the things I like to see in movies – fancy effects, plot, romance and great action sequences. One of my favourite action sequences in the series is in this film – the Roman Games-esqe attempted execution of Obi Wan, Anakin and Padme. There are cool animals, a teary love scene at the beginning and the whole thing eventually breaks into a giant battle at the end – I love it! C3PO comes up with a few hilariously punny lines here (“I am beside myself!”; “This is such a drag”), along with one of my favourite lines – “I am programmed for ettiquette, not destruction!”

I also really like the plot with the clone army – here Lucas actually put his new animation technology to good use with the stretched white aliens of Kamino.

PRETTY

Plus, who could forget the bad-ass confrontation between Yoda and Count Dooku (greatest name EVER). They don’t even need lightsabers, just SHEER WILLPOWER.

There are definitely problems – pacing being, yet again, a serious issue. I hate how they rushed the ending and the marriage of Anakin and Padme. Yes, we the viewership knew they liked each other, however, marriage is another kettle of fish with hadn’t even been discussed. It was very random, even if the wedding dress was SO PRETTY.

okay, now I'm just posting pretty pictures

All in all, I don’t understand a lot of the hate for this film. Sure, Jar Jar Binks makes some strange and disturbing appearances as a stand-in for Senator Amidala, and some of the acting is laughable, but overall there is nothing overly offensive about it. Sure, I would rank it lower than all the other films in the series, excepting The Phantom Menace, but it’s still pretty good.

Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (IMDb)

visual effects, yay!

This is the most balanced, and, by mass consensus, the best film in the New Trilogy. It manages to juggle the outbreak of a civil war in the Republic with actually believable marital discussions between Anakin and Padme (who are mysteriously still not suspected of having a relationship by anyone except Obi Wan). Furthermore, the film maps Anakin’s transformation into the Darth Vader we always knew he would become, as he is manipulated by the Chancellor Palpatine into distrusting the Jedi Order and putting faith into the powers of the Dark Side of the Force.

The film also deals with some deeper issues – that of who and what truly is ‘good’ and ‘bad’. Lucas has always polarised the two before, with the original trilogy having very clear lines between the protagonists and the antagonists, but this film sees human nature as it truly is – a mixture, where nothing is truly good or truly evil, with each label depending entirely upon your point of view. In this sense, this is one of the most mature films of the Saga, and I am glad that this was the note George Lucas ended the films on (repeat the mantra: Clone Wars doesn’t count, Clones Wars doesn’t count).

We see and empathise with the path Anakin has chosen, understanding every decision he makes as he turns over to the Dark Side, even if we do realise that it’s bad and whatnot. Lines are blurred, allegiances shift and hearts sealed by the bonds of love, brotherhood and loyalty are broken – this is damn good filmmaking.

eye colour symbolism is crucial to understanding this film

This film also sees the tragic end of the doomed love between Anakin and Padme. Their relationship in this film is beautifully portrayed with a maturity not seen in the Han/Leia relationship of the Original Trilogy. Excepting an overly cheesy greeting and a couple of “OMG I LOVE YOU SO MUCH” lines, it was pretty believable married people stuff.

In related news, there is a lot of bad-assery in this film. R2D2 is bad-ass from scene one, where he sets a bunch of drones on fire (booyah). The epic final battles are truly EPIC, and seeing Anakin/Obi Wan fight it out in parallel with Palpatine/Yoda is really cool – these scenes make me understand why Lucas wanted to wait for better graphics technology. I love the effects in the Original Trilogy, because Lucas makes it work – however, I don’t think Anakin’s dismemberment, the lava battle or the mad showdown in the Senate would have had quite the same impact with the quaint effects of yore.

DON'T FUCK WIT DIS

 ~~~

Overall, I would say I enjoyed my foray back into the New Trilogy; it has been far too long. The Phantom Menace sucked, yes, but the other two were really enjoyable. Revenge of the Sith in particular was awesome – it deserves to be listed alongside the great films of the Original Trilogy.

All in all, this experience just showed me how much I really do love this franchise. I love the anticipation created by “A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away…”; I love the blasting noise of that amazing score; I love how unique and instantly recognisable everything about the series is; I love spotting robots playing American Football in the background of Attack of the Clones; I love the languages they created out of clicky noises; I love the silly names and the ridiculous aliens and the sassy robots and the crazy spaceships. Most of all, I love knowing how it’s going to end, but seeing how it plays out anyway.

Zoe Watches: Lost in Austen

Lost in Austen (2008) is a four episode ITV mini-series structured around a single idea: what would happen if you put a modern girl into the world of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice? They do just that, with the main character, Amanda Price (Jemima Rooper) discovering a door in her bathroom that leads to the famed Longbourne house, with Amanda and the character of Elizabeth Bennett (Gemma Arterton) switching places. Despite all the amusing clashes between modern sensibilities and old fashioned manners, the core of the series is wish-fulfilment, with the show primarily serving as an outlet for many a romantic girl’s dream of meeting the great Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy (here portrayed by Heath-Ledger-look-a-like Elliot Cowan).

hey Heath Le-- oh

As an ardent fan of the Pride and Prejudice story, from the original novel to the famous BBC mini-series and Joe Wright’s film version, I found the series’ take an interesting, though overall underwhelming interpretation of the novel’s characters and events. Admittedly, the series does not attempt to be a faithful adaptation, as the arrival of Amanda upsets the novel’s traditional sequence of events. The wrong people fall in love and still wronger people get married, with extra characters introduced or the opinion of old characters entirely reversed with new stories told and intimacies created. It is in this unique perspective of the novel’s minor characters, such as Caroline Bingley and Mr. Wickham, that the series succeeds as an adaptation.

However, the series’ portrayal of some other characters leaves much to be desired. In the first instance, despite the high star wattage of the cast, Mr. and Mrs. Bennett are portrayed horribly. With Hugh Bonneville of Downton Abbey and Alex Kingston of Doctor Who cast to portray them, I expected a lot better. I am not sure whether to blame the writing or the actors, or both, but the elder Bennetts were incredibly weak, doing nothing but whinge and moan about one thing after another. Most adaptations turn Mrs. Bennett’s frailties into a bit of a joke, which entertains Mr. Bennett to the extent that you can just understand why they are married. In Lost in Austen, neither character is portrayed well, not even the usually congenial Mr. Bennett, with certain events exposing him as a weak man who cares for neither his wife nor his children.

You know shit's getting serious when their hands touch

Excusing the poor portrayal of some of the main characters, this delicacy presumes that you tolerate the main character enough to continue with the series at all. Amanda Price, particularly in the first episode, is an annoying, grating character, with poor manners, even by modern standards. She also has no concept of subtlety when it comes to matchmaking, and instead of manipulating couples together Emma-style, she prefers to bluntly state, “you’re not supposed to be attracted to such-and-such, so go over there and be attracted to so-and-so!” I’m not sure if this character flaw was purposefully done to create more ridiculous plot outcomes, or if the writers have a seriously warped idea of reality, but either way, Amanda Price did not come off well.

Furthermore, her character is supposed to be an ardent Jane Austen fan, yet one would guess by her behaviour that the customs of the era are entirely foreign to her. She does ask sensible questions, with the show revealing some interesting things about hygiene in Austen’s time (anyone fancy brushing their teeth with salt?), however, Amanda knows far too little about Austen’s world to have really read the book as many times as she professes to have done.

She reads? What?

At the end of the day, the series’ fantastical twists on such a known story were quite refreshing, and, if you can stand the main character, I would certainly recommend a watch for the “what if…” moments.

Lost in Austen on IMDb

Critical Reception (via Wikipedia)

2009 in Review

2009 was a pretty good year for film. Admittedly, I did not see very many films (either due to a late release date in Australia, i.e. not been released yet, or a limited release) and I still have some I would like to see (such as Bright Star – I may edit these such films in later should they prove worthy) but here’s a quick list of my favourites of the year.

(500) Days of Summer (Directed by Marc Webb)

A highly original ‘romantic comedy’ (I use the term loosely), (500) Days of Summer looks at how Tom falls in love with the flighty and free-spirited Summer and their tumultuous relationship, spanning 500 days. It is a largely non-linear film, and jumps around to different stages in their relationship, showing their first meeting, first date, fights, break-up, re-meeting, and final day where they each move on with their lives. It was refreshing and original in it’s composition, as well as diverse in it’s themes, showing both pure bliss and happiness alongside confusion, depression and anger. Whilst the fact that I couldn’t stop smiling for a few days didn’t exactly deter me, my favourite part of this film was the references to music. I know it’s going to make me sound a bit geeky, but I was thrilled at all the nods to The Smiths, The Pixies, and most of all, Belle and Sebastian. It helped me connect with the characters on another level. It has something for everyone, but it went very deep with me, and despite great competition, has held up as my favourite of the year.

Inglourious Basterds (Directed by Quentin Tarantino)

My first Tarantino film, and completely amazing. It begins in Nazi-occupied France, where most of the story occurs, where a young Jewish girl, Shoshanna, watches her family be massacred before her eyes by Colonel Hans Landa (a.k.a. ‘The Jew Hunter’). In the following chapters we are introduced to the Inglourious Basterds, led by Lieutenant Aldo ‘The Apache’ Raine, who ambush and massacre Nazis; Bridget von Hammersmark, a German movie star; Frederick Zoller, a German war hero; and finally Hitler and Joseph Goebbels. Despite the large number of characters, all of them are very well developed, and all pretty badass. My favourite character and performance would have to be that of Christoph Waltz as Hans Landa. “That’s a bingo!” All in all, whilst historically inaccurate, it’s fun, it’s gruesome, and generally one of the most awe-inspiring films you will ever see.

Adventureland (Directed by Greg Motolla)

I didn’t have many expectations when I first walked into this. I’d heard from everyone that it was by the guy who did Superbad (which I haven’t seen) and that it was completely unlike what the trailers depicted it as (which I also hadn’t seen). So, there I was, on a plane to London, bored, and thought “hey, this looks alright and some people said it was good, why not give it a whirl?”. It turned out to be a very touching and moving story of college graduate James Brennan, who returns home for the summer after finding out he is unable to afford the trip to Europe he had planned. With no work experience and a useless degree, he ends up working at the local amusement park Adventureland, which turns out to be a life-changing experience. He is on the cusp of manhood without ever having experienced the real world, and this film documents his awakening to reality. A wonderful little film.

District 9 (Directed by Neill Blomkamp)

Let’s just say this was a damn awesome film. Epic, yet totally original, Blomkamp takes us to Johannesburg as a space ship crashes, full to the brim of sickly aliens, who are then shuffled off to a militarised shanty town called District 9 after finally rescued from their ship. Years later, the ship remains, completely inoperable, hovering above the city, and the aliens have become second class citizens within the society (being of course an allegory comparing the situation to the apartheid regime recently overthrown in South Africa). The film begins as the main character, Wikus van der Merwe, is placed in charge of moving the aliens to a new settlement far away from central Johannesburg. The following events outcast him from human civilisation and force him to rely on an alien named Christopher Johnson, as they help each other to reach common goals. Highly original, a tonne of fun, and very realistic, District 9 was the surprise of the year, and it’s a shame it is being shunned by the awards circuit.

NB: I wrote that last part before it was nominated for an Oscar. Wow.

The Princess and the Frog (Directed by Ron Clements and John Musker)

Heaps of people are saying Up was the best animated film of last year. Whilst I loved Up, and it deserves every bit of praise it gets, I believe Disney topped Pixar this year. The Princess and the Frog is a stunning return to former glory for the studio, and showed they can still create magic. Their latest masterpiece follows the old tale of the Princess and the Frog very loosely, and creates a very original story out of it. Tiana, a poor girl working multiple jobs to earn enough money to buy her own restaurant, has toiled all her life for a little slice of happiness. Mistaken by the prince Naveen for a princess, he kisses her in hope of turning human again. However, quite the opposite happens and Tiana is turned into a frog! The film follows their antics as they try to become human again, and they enlist the help of a trumpet-playing alligator and a hill-billy firefly, while are kept from success by the evil Shadowman (or Dr Facilier) and his other-worldly allies. The Shadowman is one of the best Disney villains ever, with his voodoo powers, eerie voice and epic musical numbers, and proves very scary and believable. The music is outstanding – each song is unique, fits perfectly with the story, and is really catchy in the usual Disney style – and the animation is totally flawless and utterly gorgeous. The funnest and second prettiest (behind Avatar) film of the year.

Black Narcissus (1947)

[reposted from RottenTomatoes film orgy recommendation thread]

Directed by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger
Starring Deborah Kerr

Recommended by Immaculate Reception

To be perfectly honest, I didn’t think Powell and Pressburger would ever come close to the greatness of The Red Shoes, but here they’ve done it. In one of the most beautiful films I have ever seen, the duo have come up with a psychological horror set in the mountains of northern India. A group of nuns, led by Sister Clodagh (Kerr), have succeeded in acquiring an old windy palace just outside of Darjeeling, and intend to establish a school for children and girls, as well as a hospital for the locals. Little do they know how the palace will effect them…

Tempted by the clear air, the rude Mr Dean, and the presence of a prince, the nuns slowly lose their connection to their convent, and to God, as they succumb to life’s pleasures one by one. The power of life is enhanced by this eerie castle perched on a cliff, and slowly drives them, as believers in abstinence and God’s way, insane. The beauty of this place is enhanced by some of the best cinematography I ever seen, by Jack Cardiff, as the colours, the heights, the shadows come to life before your eyes. The sets, make-up and costuming all enhance this as well, however the film is really all about Cardiff’s wonderful work. He brings the film to an entirely new level.

Overall, I’d highly recommend this to anyone and everyone wanting to watch a great film. Thanks to Immaculate for finally getting me to watch it. Definitely an instant favourite.

10

Chunking Express (1994)

Directed by: Wong Kar-Wai
Starring: Tony Leung, Faye Wong, Brigette Lin, Takeshi Kaneshiro

A film exploring love, and it’s consequences, Chungking Express depicts two nearly unrelated stories following two couples and their connection. The cinematic style and presentation of the story is thrillingly original, and gorgeous to look at. We see the blurry, fast-moving city of Hong Kong, clearly a soft spot with the director, and see how the surroundings interact with it’s inhabitants, namely our four main characters. It is an essentially beautiful film that feels more like a painting or a documentary trying to capture the wonders of a certain time and place.

The first story is that of a woman in a blonde wig (Lin) and cop 223 (Kaneshiro), she a drug dealer who has been involved in an operation gone bad, and he a cop who has just broken up with his girlfriend. This story mainly centres on the cop and his obsession over his ex, May, which is released through his dedicated purchase of a can of pineapple every day that will expire on the 1st of May (his birthday). He feels his love will expire on that same day, a month after the split, should she not change her mind. The woman in the blonde wig appears just as cop 223 has decided he will fall in love with the next woman he sees, and she then sleeps all night as he watches old movies by himself in their hotel room. Their relationship represents the sad side of love. The kind that isn’t reciprocated, nor consummated, and never even really existed. This love just appeared to help cop 223 move on with his life – a rebound relationship. They barely even interact, yet they both have a lasting effect on each other’s lives. I personally much less prefer this half, mainly due to the poor characterisation of the woman in the blonde wig, who we only really know as an ice queen who wants her drugs back and has the power to kill. Cop 223 is, however, greatly drawn, and I really felt for him at several points, though couldn’t really believe his infatuation with the woman in the blonde wig. He had a very believable persona, and I know many people would be able to relate to him and his pain.

At the end of this story, we are introduced to Faye (Wong), a new worker in the corner store that Cop 223 visits regularly. Completely moving on to her and now ignoring the previous main characters (who disappear), we see her spot cop 663 (Leung), another regular at the store. He, during her time observing him, is left by his air hostess girlfriend. The ex visits the store and leaves a letter for cop 663, which, of course, everyone reads. A set of keys to the apartment to cop and the air hostess shared is left in the envelope, which Faye then takes advantage of using once she realises the cop doesn’t want to have the letter. Soon, Faye is spending most of her spare time sneaking into his apartment and cleaning things up for him to try and make him feel better, satisfying her obsession with him. Her free-spirited, friendly, and eccentric nature make her a very lovable character, and the way she bumbles about his apartment like it’s hers is very cute. Whilst we have the slightly sadder overtones of cop 663 grieving over the loss of his girlfriend, it’s portrayed humourously as he talks to random objects in his house as if they’re people. This is the real love story of the film, and the best aspect of it. It’s sweet, unassuming, natural and a little bit strange – which makes it all the more believable.

Altogether, whilst I prefer the happier and more realistic take on love that was provided by the second half, the film would’ve felt incomplete without the character of cop 223. It’s gorgeous as it is, not only in it’s message and characters, but in the innovative cinematography. Wonderful on the eyes, as well as the heart. A great film.

9

For a Few Dollars More (1965)

Directed by: Sergio Leone

Starring: Clint Eastwood, Lee Van Cleef, Gian Maria Volontè

A simply classic western, For a Few Dollars More proves a very enjoyable watch, with double-crossing, bank-robbing, and bounty hunting galore. Whilst bogged down by the various spoofs and copies made over the years, it is still a very enjoyable film to watch, and would do so again without hesitation.

For a Few Dollars More is about two bounty hunters, Monco a.k.a. The Man With No Name (Clint Eastwood)  and Colonel Douglas Mortimer a.k.a. The Man In Black (Lee Van Cleef), and their attempts to kill the notorious El Indio and claim the $10,000 bounty on his head. After going it alone for a while, the pair decide to team up in order to take on El Indio and his gang, who are collectively worth $27,000. Monco on the inside, the Colonel on the outside. But with crooks all around, and being crooks themselves, will someone sniff them out? Who can they trust?

One thing I was not expecting going into this was for it to be so technically accomplished. The cinematography was absolutely gorgeous, with rich shots of the wonderful desert location stealing the show. Massimo Dallamano also constructed some beautiful shots inside, as well as out, which really heightened the tension in some scenes. The colours in particular were delightful. The score, of course, speaks for itself. The classic whistled line by Ennio Morricone is really quite effective, and he other parts of the score just as good. To be completely honest, the film would have probably been excessively boring without the score, as it really creates interest in the scene, the characters and the situation – just as a good score should. I know this is probably a pretty strange thing to comment on, but the dubbing was actually pretty good. Usually I find dubbed films really annoying and unbearable, but this was pretty alright. Quite pleasant, and not as jarring and obvious as other dubbing attempts I’ve seen.

Altogether a fun, violent, and excessively awesome film, For a Few Dollars More proves an all around good watch for anyone and everyone.

8

Capsule Reviews: Clint Eastwood

In recent days I watched two of Eastwood’s films, and given my lack of posting lately, I’ll do a little summary of my thoughts.

Changeling (2008)

Starring: Angelina Jolie, John Malkovich, Colm Feore, Jason Butler Harner

Contrary to what I had heard about this film, it was actually very good. Jolie gave a very good and convincing performance, and actually deserved her Oscar nomination in my opinion (however I haven’t seen a few of the performances that were considered more worthy than hers – Sally Hawkins for one). Overall, it was just a very well-done and accurate film. The sets were absolutely extraordinary – they literally recreated parts of the old Los Angeles tram lines – and the locations were all perfect for the time. The costumes were also amazing, and very much moved with the fashion of the time, as well as suiting the individual characters – I’m very much surprised it didn’t get a nomination. But anyway, in terms of the actual story, I found the whole thing rather compelling. The mystery of where her son was, the outrage at what had happened to her, and just the general horror at what was going on unnoticed by the police because they couldn’t afford the embarrassment. The entire thing proves very thought-provoking and, while the ending is overly hopeful, real.

8

Gran Torino (2008)

Starring: Clint Eastwood, Christopher Carley, Bee Vang

Now THIS was hilarious. The asian actors may have been completely horrible, but the characters and the script were so amazing that I didn’t care. The old asian grandma and the priest who drank beer were the highlights in that department for me. The character of Walt and the way he goes about his life is just so badass and old-fashioned, and at the same time hilariously funny. The scenes between him and his barber when they toss racial jokes and various other cutting comments back and forth are just pitch-perfect. There are so many other moments I should mention, but I don’t really want to spoil all the jokes. I mean, I’m not a racist person, but the combination of the old veteran and the young Hmong gang just produces heaps of laughs, as well as some more hard-hitting stuff nearer the end. The gang plot just leers over the main story of Walt and his introduction to Thao and his family and friends. The gang and Walt’s history in the Korean War are real dark spots that balance out this otherwise fairly light film, which is really good because I wouldn’t have liked it anywhere near as much had it have been all laughs and no substance. All-in-all, a really good film, with only the acting on the chopping block.

8

(for your consideration, ranked and rated films from 2008)

Blue Velvet (1986)

“And I can still see blue velvet through my tears…”

David Lynch’s iconic crime thriller Blue Velvet is my first taste of his work, and it certainly won’t be my last. The film manages to be intriguing, suspenseful, sexy, horrific, and romantic all at the same time. A true achievement in entertainment, as well as in art.

As the film opens we are introduced to the sleepy town of Lumberton, where we see our protagonist’s father suffering from a stroke on his front lawn while watering his garden. Through this scene, we are introduced to the film’s overall tone – dark, horrible, and slightly weird. The stroke is in fact what sets the ball rolling for the entire film. As Jeffrey Beaumont (Kyle MacLachlan) comes to see his father, he discovers an ear lying on the ground, covered in ants. The ear proves to have been cut with a pair of scissors from a man’s head… the first of many disturbing revelations. Jeffrey brings the ear to Detective Williams (George Dickerson) to try and find out if it means anything. The detective’s cryptic remarks about the ear, and his refusal to give away any information leaves Jeffrey wanting to investigate the ear on his own. With the assistance of Sandy (Laura Dern), the detective’s daughter, he gets the lead he needs and sneaks into the apartment of singer Dorothy Vallens (Isabella Rossellini) in a bid to get some information. From just finding an ear on the ground, Jeffrey now is in the middle of a crime ring involving rape, kidnapping, murder and drugs, all led by the insanely dangerous Frank Booth (Dennis Hopper), one of the most disturbing villains I have ever seen on screen.

The film, whilst having a very unique and thrilling storyline and being incredible entertaining to watch, is essentially an artwork. Lynch paints a picture of some surreal situations in a seemingly normal little town. The development and progression of the characters in the film through these strange and horrific situations is very real, and because of their normality, you start to wonder whether this could really happen. If there really could be things like this happening in the real world. You wonder if there really are people who kidnap husbands and children in order to make a woman their sexual slave. You wonder if someone really would cut off someone’s ear just to prevent another person from committing suicide. You wonder if someone could really be that cruel, the evil, that batshit insane.

Despite the horrors depicted in the film, there is a certain element of beauty strung throughout. The camerawork is simply exceptional. Lynch, and his cinematographer Frederick Elmes, used colour, light and shade to create mood within each and every shot of the film. Extreme close-ups and stagnant wide-shots were utilised frequently, and to great effect. I especially loved the shots within Dorothy’s apartment, which was beautifully designed in varying shades of red. Music was another highlight of this film, composed by Angelo Badalamenti, which hung just the right amount of tension and suspense in the air. Basically, the film stunned you from every angle – aurally, visually, and mentally.

A film that displays many horrors though somehow manages to leave you light and happy at the end, Blue Velvet is a thrilling and beautiful tale of a college boy getting himself mixed up with insane and dangerous men in an attempt to solve a mystery and save a woman.

10

La Dolce Vita (1960)

Whilst not up to the standard of Fellini’s 8½, La Dolce Vita remains an equally remarkable and provocative effort that only suffered from a few drawn-out and dull moments. 

The film follows the character of Marcello Rubini (played by the wonderful Marcello Mastroianni) and his various interactions with women, his father, his friends, and with the world around him. The film doesn’t really have a plot, per se, and the camera merely observes the scenes laid out before it, rather than preempting an event or constructing the action. In these scenes, we are introduced to several lady friends of Marcello’s – Maddalena (Anouk Aimee), the rich local celebrity, Sylvia (Anita Ekberg), the famous Swedish-American actress, and Emma (Yvonne Furneaux), the woman he lives with – as well as his father, his annoying photo-journalist friend Paparazzo, the intellectual friend Steiner and the angelic teenager Paola. None of these encounters are really associated with each other or connect to each other in any way, except for the encounters with Steiner.

The entire film is rather fragmented in a way films aren’t usually, but it all works in the end somehow. In a way, I think it’s trying to represent the random scattering of events and happenings in real life, and how they aren’t specifically connected. When we get up in the morning, do we think about what happened the day before and feel the need to explain the connection between the two days? No, we don’t. So why do films so commonly feel this need to clarify connections and spoon feed the audience? Life is not like that. And that is what Fellini is trying to represent (I think) – that in life, not everything is explained, not everything is clear, not everything has a purpose or a point. It meanders and sometimes nothing in particular happens at all. Hence the film is about “nothing”, if you will, yet it is precisely the opposite at the same time. It serves as an artistic statement, a representation of life, a bunch of ideas collected and presented through this one part of Marcello’s life.

Whilst of the meandering tone of the film works at times, some of the little sub-plots, or episodes, were just a little boring for my taste. I had to struggle through a couple of them, as they weren’t all that interesting and took far too long. The one sequence I specifically did not like was the one with the two children “seeing” Madonna next to a tree. Quite frankly, I did not see the point of filming a bunch of people standing in the rain following these giggling children as they scream out “she’s over there!” and point in a different direction every couple of minutes. It seemed largely irrelevant to the story as a whole, even though it does let Fellini ruthlessly criticise religion.

The final overall effect of the film is unexplainable, but it was well worth mucking through until the end, despite the hiccups in the middle. Highly recommended.

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Fiddler on the Roof (1971)

“I know, I know. We are Your chosen people. But, once in a while, can’t You choose someone else?”

Fiddler on the Roof, based on the Broadway musical, is the story of a Jewish family living in pre-revolutionary Russia who have issues coming to terms with the new world and the crack-down on their people by the authorities. 

The film is a very believable portrait of a small Jewish town, centered on Teyve the Milkman and his family, but incorporates many different characters and stories. We have the main character, Teyve, who recounts in the opening sequence the town’s reliance on tradition and the old ways in order to live their lives, and we see him struggle to accept the new ways that are seeping into his town. The thing he struggles with most is the marriage of his three elder daughters, each of which deviating more from the traditional ways than the last. Then we have his sarcastic but loving wife Golde, along with his three beautiful eldest daughters, Tzeitel, who is in love with a poor man, Hodel, who did not even ask her father’s permission to marry, and Chava, who dared to fall in love with a Christian man (there are also two younger daughters, but we hardly see them). The town is full of other colourful characters, like Yente the matchmaker, the old Rabbi, and the policeman, who, to me, is one of the most interesting characters in the film. As an officer, he has to carry out orders made by his superiors, but he truly likes Teyve and does not wish to cause him, or his family, harm. He is torn between what he must do and what he wants to do. Unfortunately, under extreme pressure, he does what he is ordered to do, which includes looting and wrecking the town.

Most of the film is narrated by Teyve, as he frequently talks to the audience as well as God on his walks through the town. You see his perspective on life, and his thoughts and feelings concerning everything happening around him and his town. It’s a very effective way of getting the audience to empathise with the characters, as you truly feel like you know this man and like him. When the anti-Semitic authorities start meddling with their lives, you truly feel for him and his community. It’s a very personal film, and an emotional experience you’re put through.

Funnily enough, though the film is sad in that they are subjected to so much discrimination, it can only be described as joyful. It’s a celebration of life, of love, of family, in the face of impending doom. The songs and musical numbers are all fairly jolly throughout, and the final scene with the fiddler and Teyve leaves you feeling light and happy even though the situation and their future is bleak. It manages to find the silver lining of their troubles and focus on that. The music, as it is a musical, is central to the plot and the feel of the film, and each song is absolutely wonderful in it’s own way. My favourite numbers would have to be “Sunrise Sunset” and the fiddle solo at the beginning and again at the end. The cinematography is also absolutely splendid, well worth it’s Oscar – such yummy colours and beautiful framing. The scene where Teyve is informed of what Chava has done, with the layered red shots of the three sisters and their lovers dancing with the fiddler is just beautiful. The cinematography and the score are contrasted wonderfully, giving zest to a bleak shot, or mood to a song.

A happy, moving and thoroughly entertaining film, Fiddler On The Roof manages to fit all of life’s pleasures and pitfalls into one film. Highly recommended for anyone, Jewish or not.

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