The band Portishead are heavily influenced by the Spy films of the sixties & the soundtracks of such composers as Lalo Schifrin & John Barry. Their trip hop music conjures up images akin to movies such as The Ipcress file. Here they take their love of this genre further with a short B&W film starring themselves & with a very cool soundtrack. It begins with a rooftop assassination & centres on the reaction to it & understanding of it by a woman who was with the victim. But who was the victim? Is he dead? Who ordered the hit? This short film twists & turns in on itself all in the space of 10 minutes. This is obviously a must for all Portishead fans but many lovers of sharp spy movies of the sixties & those familiar with the work of the above mentioned film composers will find this intriguing. Hopefully the band will one day be given a full length feature to score on the merits of this short film.
4 Reviews
Plot mystery explained
alongo-912-32472118 July 2015
Warning: Spoilers
Oooooh, what a film. Nine black-n-white mysterious minutes accompanied by a great Portishead soundtrack. The plot is not easy to understand, but this is what I keep my wife for :) So here it is:
The film starts with a man thinking about his next move on the chess board, and then he makes his move. This move is a clue for us that he had decided on his next move in life. Then we see an assassin killing the man (who played the chess move). That was the move! The man ordered his faked own hit, possibly in order to leave his current life: wife, creditors, partners, whatever... and if you look well you'll see a short shot showing him alive in the car, right after the assassination.
His wife first gets into a shock and she's hospitalized. In the hospital she has hallucinations of her husband bringing her flowers and then of him killing her. These hallucinations represent her understanding - she understands her husband is alive. She's then seen with the chess board, and then we see her making HER move. And then her move comes! She finds the assassin, and orders her husband's assassination - this time for real (hence the name of the film - To Kill a Dead Man!). Then we see the assassin entering her husband's car, she approaches with her car and looks at them. When her husband sees her, he understands she caught him, and he also understands her move. Now he's going to be assassinated for real.
The film starts with a man thinking about his next move on the chess board, and then he makes his move. This move is a clue for us that he had decided on his next move in life. Then we see an assassin killing the man (who played the chess move). That was the move! The man ordered his faked own hit, possibly in order to leave his current life: wife, creditors, partners, whatever... and if you look well you'll see a short shot showing him alive in the car, right after the assassination.
His wife first gets into a shock and she's hospitalized. In the hospital she has hallucinations of her husband bringing her flowers and then of him killing her. These hallucinations represent her understanding - she understands her husband is alive. She's then seen with the chess board, and then we see her making HER move. And then her move comes! She finds the assassin, and orders her husband's assassination - this time for real (hence the name of the film - To Kill a Dead Man!). Then we see the assassin entering her husband's car, she approaches with her car and looks at them. When her husband sees her, he understands she caught him, and he also understands her move. Now he's going to be assassinated for real.
Stays on your mind....
evilhaunt8 March 2005
Warning: Spoilers
I am a huge fan of Portishead. I own four of their Cd's. I also own a huge collection of their remixed and live versions of their music. I also own this short film on my PC.
I like this film because first of all, the black and white gives it that creepy touch that Portishead is famous for. It also leaves your mind wondering what is going on.
Once the man is shot, the film focuses on Beth Gibbons (I assume she was his lover or wife in this film).
It shows how her mind keeps replaying the shooting. Then it shows her in the hospital bed imagining different scenarios.
I really started to get confused after that part though. I watched this film four times (and I plan to watch it again) to see exactly what the meaning behind all of it is.
The music is extremely well composed for this film.
I think Portishead did a fantastic job with this and I think their fans will find this to be a true treasure.
If they ever decide to get back together and make another film or even a full length motion picture, I'd be first in line to see it.
I like this film because first of all, the black and white gives it that creepy touch that Portishead is famous for. It also leaves your mind wondering what is going on.
Once the man is shot, the film focuses on Beth Gibbons (I assume she was his lover or wife in this film).
It shows how her mind keeps replaying the shooting. Then it shows her in the hospital bed imagining different scenarios.
I really started to get confused after that part though. I watched this film four times (and I plan to watch it again) to see exactly what the meaning behind all of it is.
The music is extremely well composed for this film.
I think Portishead did a fantastic job with this and I think their fans will find this to be a true treasure.
If they ever decide to get back together and make another film or even a full length motion picture, I'd be first in line to see it.
A Worthwhile View For PORTISHEAD Fans...
EVOL66611 June 2006
Warning: Spoilers
I have no idea how to rate this short film as I caught it as part of the PORTISHEAD: LIVE FROM THE ROSELAND - NYC DVD - but I'll say that ANYTHING that has PORTISHEAD's name on it is gold to me...
It's basically a short-film showcasing the band's love for '50's-'70's era spy-films in black-and-white - and is actually quite competent for what it is. A roof-top sniper takes someone out, and the rest of the short is from the view-point of the Beth Gibbons character...
Essential viewing for the PORTISHEAD die-hards out there. If you haven't already - pick up the live NYC DVD as it is brilliant...Damn, I wish I'd have been at that show...10/10
It's basically a short-film showcasing the band's love for '50's-'70's era spy-films in black-and-white - and is actually quite competent for what it is. A roof-top sniper takes someone out, and the rest of the short is from the view-point of the Beth Gibbons character...
Essential viewing for the PORTISHEAD die-hards out there. If you haven't already - pick up the live NYC DVD as it is brilliant...Damn, I wish I'd have been at that show...10/10
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