Thursday, July 24, 2003
Shadows and Fog (1992)
Directed by Woody Allen
I have to confess this might be my favourite Woody Allen movie. Shadows and Fog is “untypical” of Allen by foregoing contemporary Manhattanites issues and settings or triangular relationship problems; yet retaining his trademark humor blended with thought-provoking incisiveness. Shadows and Fog is the horror version of Crimes and Misdemeanor; Francois Truffaut Day for Night in fantasyland.
In Shadows and Fogs, characters speak and think like the Allen we know. They are Allen in disguised form, like parrots. John Malkovich as the clown is most obvious. When we first see him, he is in his clown wear with his long time partner, sword swallowor, Mia Farrow. He argues with the woman how kids will destroy his art in a Allen - ish tone and manner eerily reminiscent of Allen. Like Allen in real life, he was caught committing adultery. In the film, John’s tryst with Maddona, a foxy funambulist, was explained again in typical Woody – “fast speak” style. The theme of adultery will again be replayed by Woody himself as Max Kleinman when he seeks shelter from his ex fiance who chased him away because Max is caught with his pants down with his ex-fiance’s sister in a closet years ago. We all know that Woody himself seems to have a liking for younger woman in real life too.
Mia Farrow is the hero and anti-thesis against the cold hardness of everyone in the film. She is the opposite of Max and John with her illogical madness and maternal instincts (insistence on having a baby, adopting it when they found one). Her simplicity and bravery (leaving John in the middle of the night; going to a brothel, selling sex for money, giving the church a hefty donation and then asking for it back, agreeing to find the murderer with Max, asking Max to stand up for himself).
She sleeps with John Cusack, a university student when he offers her 700 dollars and what might seem to be “greed” turns out to be something else for both parties. The student ends up “drunk” and forlorn, trying to justify himself that it was just lust though he appears to have been infatuated with Mia. After having sex, Mia told John that she initially resisted him but later enjoyed it. This turns their transaction from “prostitution” to “one night stand” in an ironic and cruel manner. Max’s inability to have sex with the prostitute ridicules the existence of the brothel. More importantly it disarms Max from the unconventional hero mold because he appears impotent (which is what onscreen heroes are not supposed to turn out). He turns out to be the opposite of the main characters in the film, who seems to enjoy having sex. Even the prostitutes themselves, seems to have so much fun with their customers.
Shot indoors and clobbered in darkness with mystifying gridlocked roads and dead ends, Shadows and Fogs comes across as a cheap looking B grade production but it is also this set that gives it suspense - watching a psuedo Jack The Ripper murder unfold. The made up sets and darkness tells the audience that this is Allen making a film like what Truffaut did with Day for Night - a movie about making movies, which explains why everything seems made up and ripped off somewhere (e.g. Nosferatu atmospheric sets; the psychology of madness analysed by Donald Pleasance who looks like the creator of “Frankenstein”; the scene where Mia talks about the stars with Max goes back to the black and white Manhattan that Allen made himself in 1979). The clown’s struggle between his art and having a kid. (Artiste - Actor – Clown inference) Not forgetting the metaphorical allusion of cinema screen as a form of magic. Kenneth Mars as the renowned magician captures the murderer but losts him towards the end. Isn’t that an apt quality of the cinema as merely a form of entertainment and illusion?
The use of Pokka and marching classical music also enhances the feel of watching a clown act going on while Max escapes being caught by his captors: the vigilantes, his boss and of course, the murderer. The inability of the crowd to reach a consensuous can be interpreted as the fickle audience and critics who have taken Woody to task as he loses his popularity during this later part of his career. When they finally decided that he was the murderer and wanted to kill him, Woody’s escape from them signifies his inability to match their demands. The ending can of course be read as “getting away” from them. Notice how it wasn’t a typically happy ending per se when Max was told that he would not be rich by becoming the apprentice of the magician. He did not get the sword swallower and we are not sure of his intention why he decided to join them – love for Mia, magic, the sudden realization that he hates his life or a combination of other factors?
When I first started watching Shadows and Fog, I was unable to fathom two seemingly sets of plots which didn’t seem to match. When they converge however, one recognise the brilliance of Woody in intellectualizing and producing a multifold and conflictual text. Fictional but personal; satirical but dramatic; Darkly horrifying yet filled with a touche of romance.
Directed by Woody Allen
I have to confess this might be my favourite Woody Allen movie. Shadows and Fog is “untypical” of Allen by foregoing contemporary Manhattanites issues and settings or triangular relationship problems; yet retaining his trademark humor blended with thought-provoking incisiveness. Shadows and Fog is the horror version of Crimes and Misdemeanor; Francois Truffaut Day for Night in fantasyland.
In Shadows and Fogs, characters speak and think like the Allen we know. They are Allen in disguised form, like parrots. John Malkovich as the clown is most obvious. When we first see him, he is in his clown wear with his long time partner, sword swallowor, Mia Farrow. He argues with the woman how kids will destroy his art in a Allen - ish tone and manner eerily reminiscent of Allen. Like Allen in real life, he was caught committing adultery. In the film, John’s tryst with Maddona, a foxy funambulist, was explained again in typical Woody – “fast speak” style. The theme of adultery will again be replayed by Woody himself as Max Kleinman when he seeks shelter from his ex fiance who chased him away because Max is caught with his pants down with his ex-fiance’s sister in a closet years ago. We all know that Woody himself seems to have a liking for younger woman in real life too.
Mia Farrow is the hero and anti-thesis against the cold hardness of everyone in the film. She is the opposite of Max and John with her illogical madness and maternal instincts (insistence on having a baby, adopting it when they found one). Her simplicity and bravery (leaving John in the middle of the night; going to a brothel, selling sex for money, giving the church a hefty donation and then asking for it back, agreeing to find the murderer with Max, asking Max to stand up for himself).
She sleeps with John Cusack, a university student when he offers her 700 dollars and what might seem to be “greed” turns out to be something else for both parties. The student ends up “drunk” and forlorn, trying to justify himself that it was just lust though he appears to have been infatuated with Mia. After having sex, Mia told John that she initially resisted him but later enjoyed it. This turns their transaction from “prostitution” to “one night stand” in an ironic and cruel manner. Max’s inability to have sex with the prostitute ridicules the existence of the brothel. More importantly it disarms Max from the unconventional hero mold because he appears impotent (which is what onscreen heroes are not supposed to turn out). He turns out to be the opposite of the main characters in the film, who seems to enjoy having sex. Even the prostitutes themselves, seems to have so much fun with their customers.
Shot indoors and clobbered in darkness with mystifying gridlocked roads and dead ends, Shadows and Fogs comes across as a cheap looking B grade production but it is also this set that gives it suspense - watching a psuedo Jack The Ripper murder unfold. The made up sets and darkness tells the audience that this is Allen making a film like what Truffaut did with Day for Night - a movie about making movies, which explains why everything seems made up and ripped off somewhere (e.g. Nosferatu atmospheric sets; the psychology of madness analysed by Donald Pleasance who looks like the creator of “Frankenstein”; the scene where Mia talks about the stars with Max goes back to the black and white Manhattan that Allen made himself in 1979). The clown’s struggle between his art and having a kid. (Artiste - Actor – Clown inference) Not forgetting the metaphorical allusion of cinema screen as a form of magic. Kenneth Mars as the renowned magician captures the murderer but losts him towards the end. Isn’t that an apt quality of the cinema as merely a form of entertainment and illusion?
The use of Pokka and marching classical music also enhances the feel of watching a clown act going on while Max escapes being caught by his captors: the vigilantes, his boss and of course, the murderer. The inability of the crowd to reach a consensuous can be interpreted as the fickle audience and critics who have taken Woody to task as he loses his popularity during this later part of his career. When they finally decided that he was the murderer and wanted to kill him, Woody’s escape from them signifies his inability to match their demands. The ending can of course be read as “getting away” from them. Notice how it wasn’t a typically happy ending per se when Max was told that he would not be rich by becoming the apprentice of the magician. He did not get the sword swallower and we are not sure of his intention why he decided to join them – love for Mia, magic, the sudden realization that he hates his life or a combination of other factors?
When I first started watching Shadows and Fog, I was unable to fathom two seemingly sets of plots which didn’t seem to match. When they converge however, one recognise the brilliance of Woody in intellectualizing and producing a multifold and conflictual text. Fictional but personal; satirical but dramatic; Darkly horrifying yet filled with a touche of romance.
Gertrud VS Black Orpheus
Directed by Carl Theodor Dreyer VS Marcel Camus
Comparisons/ Film:
Gertrud Black Orpheus
Language: Danish Portuguese
Set: Possibly Denmark Rio De Janeiro
Genre: Both Drama
Type: European Classic Black Cinema
Music:
Haunting Minor Atonal Piano score; with operatic singing by Gertrud to create minimalism; scored by Jørgen Jersild
overflowing sounds of tropical warm drum beats and singing by Orpheus to convey and contrast moods – joyfulness and pensiveness; bossa nova – scored by Luiz Bonfá & Antonio Carlos Jobim
Images with music
either absent – as a form of background while characters are talking; or when Gertrud was singing, haunting allegory when matched with lyrics
street dancing showing a genial happy mood. Orpheus sings melodic ballads displaying a sensitivity double to his outgoing flirtatious nature
Characters
Gertrud, Gertrud’s husband – Gustav; her ex flame - Gabriel Lidman; young lover, Erland Jansson; close friend, Axel Nygen
Orpheus; Orpheus lover, Eurydice; Orpheus lover, Mira; Eurydice cousin, Serafina; Death; old wise man, Hermes; young boy, Benedito
Spoken Text and Body Movements/ Actions
Minimal and poetic. E.g. Gertrud says she is a mouth looking for another mouth. Employ long shots to distance spectator. Very little action in characters. People hardly look at each other when speaking; spectator has to watch subtle facial expressions for nuanced emotions in characters
Minimal, exaggerated theatrical actions and body movements convey moods. Close facial shots of Orpheus shows protagonist’s inner turmoil
Color: Black and White. Contrast of Lighting to evoke moods. Flashbacks employ extreme strong lighting from windows to give “hazy” touch – attributing it dreamlike quality
Bursting spectrum of colours create “surreal” touch
Indoor Set:
Mainly “claustrophobic” indoor sets; Unlike earlier films, Dreyer distracts audience with disturbing/ cluttered background; sometimes revealing certain insights e.g. drawing room where Gertrud was talking to Axel. In front of her was a picture of a naked woman which she claimed she had dreamt. The same room opened up to a piano. When Getrud’s mother in law left, their maidservant appears at the half-opened door
Few indoor sets. Set in wooden houses with beds and personal possession in a single room implying poverty. Opened windows shows outdoors easily. Indoor sets in city when Orpheus looks for Eurydice are ghost town caricatures of stacks of paper in missing department; plied up bodies in the cold morgue; a house to call for spirits – representing the last bastion while the people lost their roots “outside” the house
Outdoor set
Garden – rendevous meeting place of Gertrud with her lover – romantic but sad setting. Stone statue highlights Gertrud’s misery for falling in love with a reckless young man
Colourful outdoor sets filled with dancing crowds. Crowds perceived as places for dangerous elements – “Death” man; Also place of deceit –Mira tricked into believing that Eurydice is Seraphina; Also convey natural beauty Vs man made environment: Sunsets Vs the pan of the cities dotted with high rise below ghetto town
Style:
Fading Out between scenes Pans to convey 3 dimensionality before settling on characters (middle shot) “Static” scenes and slow moving for impact
Short continuous cuts to propel fast paced action
Symbols/ Metaphors:
Gertrud in mirror given by Gabriel; Gertrud in front of a painting which she had dreamt; Gertrud as a shadow in Erland’s house; Gertrud singing accompanied by Erland’s playing; Erland’s Oedipus complex – (head resting on Gertrud’s womb)
Orpheus and Eurydice are character’s from Greek mythology; guitar – sunset; Orpheus resting on Eurdice hands while they watched the sunset; “Death” man. Seraphina, the clowness, Mira, the jealous lover
Love of Women:
Love of Women portrayed as one of indecipherable and extreme purity. Gertrud love for husband is the common love that woman have for the “stable” man in their lives. One tortured with guilt to escape for freedom. Her love for Gabriel is one of non-attainability because it was lost due to “one sentence”. Her love for Erland is most interesting for to be with Erland is to “recapture” her “youth”; ascertain her beauty. It is one of ideal match because she sings while he plays the piano. It is akin to mentor – student; mother – child. Her love for close confidante, Axel represents platonic male-female friendship.
Eurydice’s love is pure for Orpheus. Mira love for Orpheus is possessive. Seraphina’s love for her man is playful and sexual. Seraphina’s love for Eurydice is “friendly” while other women’s love for Orpheus is flirtatious.
Love of Men:
Gustav – love for work stronger than for Gertrud; only wants to keep her; Gabriel –love for Gertrud is most sincere;Erland’s love is deceitful, one of conquest and oedipal
Orpheus love for Eurydice is sincere exemplified by tribulations he goes through to “find” her. Benedito is the boy who finds in Eurdice, the type of women he will love when he grows up.
Acting:
Nina Pens Rode as Gertrud seems nonchalant like other characters. Their acting can only be felt by closely listening to their monotones and unmoving facial expressions.
Expressive acting; Character’s acting are foremost body movements choreographed with theatrical self-expression
Themes:
Ideals of Love & Life; Love Between Man and Woman; Old Age
Dancing as a form of expression; Happiness despite poverty; Love between Man and Woman; Death
Summary:
Pay attention to details; words, music which are poetic and haunting. Gertrud is Dreyer’s masterpiece in which he questions the “age old” doubts– “what is life if without love for life? What is life without love?” It has the stylistic detachment of Ordet but turns inside out by making everything appear minimal
Watched for its music, dance, and vibrance
Directed by Carl Theodor Dreyer VS Marcel Camus
Comparisons/ Film:
Gertrud Black Orpheus
Language: Danish Portuguese
Set: Possibly Denmark Rio De Janeiro
Genre: Both Drama
Type: European Classic Black Cinema
Music:
Haunting Minor Atonal Piano score; with operatic singing by Gertrud to create minimalism; scored by Jørgen Jersild
overflowing sounds of tropical warm drum beats and singing by Orpheus to convey and contrast moods – joyfulness and pensiveness; bossa nova – scored by Luiz Bonfá & Antonio Carlos Jobim
Images with music
either absent – as a form of background while characters are talking; or when Gertrud was singing, haunting allegory when matched with lyrics
street dancing showing a genial happy mood. Orpheus sings melodic ballads displaying a sensitivity double to his outgoing flirtatious nature
Characters
Gertrud, Gertrud’s husband – Gustav; her ex flame - Gabriel Lidman; young lover, Erland Jansson; close friend, Axel Nygen
Orpheus; Orpheus lover, Eurydice; Orpheus lover, Mira; Eurydice cousin, Serafina; Death; old wise man, Hermes; young boy, Benedito
Spoken Text and Body Movements/ Actions
Minimal and poetic. E.g. Gertrud says she is a mouth looking for another mouth. Employ long shots to distance spectator. Very little action in characters. People hardly look at each other when speaking; spectator has to watch subtle facial expressions for nuanced emotions in characters
Minimal, exaggerated theatrical actions and body movements convey moods. Close facial shots of Orpheus shows protagonist’s inner turmoil
Color: Black and White. Contrast of Lighting to evoke moods. Flashbacks employ extreme strong lighting from windows to give “hazy” touch – attributing it dreamlike quality
Bursting spectrum of colours create “surreal” touch
Indoor Set:
Mainly “claustrophobic” indoor sets; Unlike earlier films, Dreyer distracts audience with disturbing/ cluttered background; sometimes revealing certain insights e.g. drawing room where Gertrud was talking to Axel. In front of her was a picture of a naked woman which she claimed she had dreamt. The same room opened up to a piano. When Getrud’s mother in law left, their maidservant appears at the half-opened door
Few indoor sets. Set in wooden houses with beds and personal possession in a single room implying poverty. Opened windows shows outdoors easily. Indoor sets in city when Orpheus looks for Eurydice are ghost town caricatures of stacks of paper in missing department; plied up bodies in the cold morgue; a house to call for spirits – representing the last bastion while the people lost their roots “outside” the house
Outdoor set
Garden – rendevous meeting place of Gertrud with her lover – romantic but sad setting. Stone statue highlights Gertrud’s misery for falling in love with a reckless young man
Colourful outdoor sets filled with dancing crowds. Crowds perceived as places for dangerous elements – “Death” man; Also place of deceit –Mira tricked into believing that Eurydice is Seraphina; Also convey natural beauty Vs man made environment: Sunsets Vs the pan of the cities dotted with high rise below ghetto town
Style:
Fading Out between scenes Pans to convey 3 dimensionality before settling on characters (middle shot) “Static” scenes and slow moving for impact
Short continuous cuts to propel fast paced action
Symbols/ Metaphors:
Gertrud in mirror given by Gabriel; Gertrud in front of a painting which she had dreamt; Gertrud as a shadow in Erland’s house; Gertrud singing accompanied by Erland’s playing; Erland’s Oedipus complex – (head resting on Gertrud’s womb)
Orpheus and Eurydice are character’s from Greek mythology; guitar – sunset; Orpheus resting on Eurdice hands while they watched the sunset; “Death” man. Seraphina, the clowness, Mira, the jealous lover
Love of Women:
Love of Women portrayed as one of indecipherable and extreme purity. Gertrud love for husband is the common love that woman have for the “stable” man in their lives. One tortured with guilt to escape for freedom. Her love for Gabriel is one of non-attainability because it was lost due to “one sentence”. Her love for Erland is most interesting for to be with Erland is to “recapture” her “youth”; ascertain her beauty. It is one of ideal match because she sings while he plays the piano. It is akin to mentor – student; mother – child. Her love for close confidante, Axel represents platonic male-female friendship.
Eurydice’s love is pure for Orpheus. Mira love for Orpheus is possessive. Seraphina’s love for her man is playful and sexual. Seraphina’s love for Eurydice is “friendly” while other women’s love for Orpheus is flirtatious.
Love of Men:
Gustav – love for work stronger than for Gertrud; only wants to keep her; Gabriel –love for Gertrud is most sincere;Erland’s love is deceitful, one of conquest and oedipal
Orpheus love for Eurydice is sincere exemplified by tribulations he goes through to “find” her. Benedito is the boy who finds in Eurdice, the type of women he will love when he grows up.
Acting:
Nina Pens Rode as Gertrud seems nonchalant like other characters. Their acting can only be felt by closely listening to their monotones and unmoving facial expressions.
Expressive acting; Character’s acting are foremost body movements choreographed with theatrical self-expression
Themes:
Ideals of Love & Life; Love Between Man and Woman; Old Age
Dancing as a form of expression; Happiness despite poverty; Love between Man and Woman; Death
Summary:
Pay attention to details; words, music which are poetic and haunting. Gertrud is Dreyer’s masterpiece in which he questions the “age old” doubts– “what is life if without love for life? What is life without love?” It has the stylistic detachment of Ordet but turns inside out by making everything appear minimal
Watched for its music, dance, and vibrance
Sunday, July 20, 2003
Touch of Evil
Directed by Orson Welles
What is it about Touch of Evil that ticks? Reviewing the restored DVD version, I am fascinated by the movie for its Mexicana flavoured score and tight editing which ends with an eerie twist.
Captain Hank Quinlan (Welles) is the investigator for the murder of Mr Linnekar and his girlfriend who are killed by a bomb in their car. Ramon Miguel “Mike Vargas” (Charlton Heston) is implicated in the turmoil of the investigations when his wife, Susan (Janet Leigh) follows a Mexican lad and meets Uncle Joe Grandi (Akim Tamiroff) who implicitly threatens and her to relay to her husband to lay off their trail. Mike subsequently finds out that the guy which Hank was trying to nail as the murderer of the case, could not be guilty because the latter had planted some dynamites of his own on the accused home.
The film moves with such precise reasoning and logic that it is easy to follow and even sometimes “guess” what is going to happen. For example, when Susan is driven to a motel on the other side of the border, one can predict something untoward is happening because the place stands alone in a huge desert implying that she is not far away from her thugs.
When Mike knows that Hank has planted evidence in the shoe box, we know he is going to right a wrong because he seems to be the only “honest” guy in the film. Mike looks up Hank’s records over cases he solves and find inconsistencies. All these are predictable elements which mars the tension of the film.
Welles colors his characters caught in fatigue romances. Mike and Susan appears to be blissfully in love but they are separated by their differences in nationality. Mr Linnekar is murdered with his girlfriend and reduced to ashes. Mr Linnekar’s daughter, Marcia Linnekar (Joanna Cook Moore) is in love with a Mexican lad who has no recourse to a lawyer and is accused of being the murderer. Marlene Dietrich who is the gypsy that Hank visits and fancies is so nonplussed and unaffected that she is hardly bothered by Hank’s presence.
As much as Touch of Evil is about Hanks, it is also about “evil” in its subtle forms. Hanks who claims he is a good cop towards the end, is in doubt when he knows that he has done the unspeakable.
Touch of evil is about a cop trying to be good and ends up turning bad because he cannot tell what is right and wrong anymore.
Godard on Godard
Edited by Tom Milne
Godard on Godard is Godard’s collection of early day writings which consists of reviews he wrote for Cahieurs Du Ju and Art, as well as interviews on his thoughts about his films and the industry.
Not for the non-Godard fans but a good introduction to the newly Godard convert because the book explains where Godard was coming from.
Gone Bambo
Written by Anthony Bourdain
I reckoned Gone Bamboo can be made into a Guy Richie Lock Stock or Danny Boyle’s Trainspotting style movie that will give kicks to awaiting fans. Easy to read, predictable but sassy fun.
Directed by Orson Welles
What is it about Touch of Evil that ticks? Reviewing the restored DVD version, I am fascinated by the movie for its Mexicana flavoured score and tight editing which ends with an eerie twist.
Captain Hank Quinlan (Welles) is the investigator for the murder of Mr Linnekar and his girlfriend who are killed by a bomb in their car. Ramon Miguel “Mike Vargas” (Charlton Heston) is implicated in the turmoil of the investigations when his wife, Susan (Janet Leigh) follows a Mexican lad and meets Uncle Joe Grandi (Akim Tamiroff) who implicitly threatens and her to relay to her husband to lay off their trail. Mike subsequently finds out that the guy which Hank was trying to nail as the murderer of the case, could not be guilty because the latter had planted some dynamites of his own on the accused home.
The film moves with such precise reasoning and logic that it is easy to follow and even sometimes “guess” what is going to happen. For example, when Susan is driven to a motel on the other side of the border, one can predict something untoward is happening because the place stands alone in a huge desert implying that she is not far away from her thugs.
When Mike knows that Hank has planted evidence in the shoe box, we know he is going to right a wrong because he seems to be the only “honest” guy in the film. Mike looks up Hank’s records over cases he solves and find inconsistencies. All these are predictable elements which mars the tension of the film.
Welles colors his characters caught in fatigue romances. Mike and Susan appears to be blissfully in love but they are separated by their differences in nationality. Mr Linnekar is murdered with his girlfriend and reduced to ashes. Mr Linnekar’s daughter, Marcia Linnekar (Joanna Cook Moore) is in love with a Mexican lad who has no recourse to a lawyer and is accused of being the murderer. Marlene Dietrich who is the gypsy that Hank visits and fancies is so nonplussed and unaffected that she is hardly bothered by Hank’s presence.
As much as Touch of Evil is about Hanks, it is also about “evil” in its subtle forms. Hanks who claims he is a good cop towards the end, is in doubt when he knows that he has done the unspeakable.
Touch of evil is about a cop trying to be good and ends up turning bad because he cannot tell what is right and wrong anymore.
Godard on Godard
Edited by Tom Milne
Godard on Godard is Godard’s collection of early day writings which consists of reviews he wrote for Cahieurs Du Ju and Art, as well as interviews on his thoughts about his films and the industry.
Not for the non-Godard fans but a good introduction to the newly Godard convert because the book explains where Godard was coming from.
Gone Bambo
Written by Anthony Bourdain
I reckoned Gone Bamboo can be made into a Guy Richie Lock Stock or Danny Boyle’s Trainspotting style movie that will give kicks to awaiting fans. Easy to read, predictable but sassy fun.
