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Reviews
Beautiful Dreamers (1990)
A worthwhile movie about Walt Whitman. A kind of 19th Century "Awakenings"
I found the one and only comment about this movie entirely uninformative and altogether too harsh, so I have decided to write my own. I first saw this movie when it came out and have caught it a few times more since then. First of all let me say that, overall, the things that this movie gets RIGHT are what make it worthwhile. It doesn't matter that it has some low budget quirks and other faults. It is worth watching. The idea of basing a movie on Walt Whitman's visit a restrictive, narrow-minded Anglo-Canadian community in Southern Ontario and bringing people to life is a brilliant mis-en-scene. The movie is about the kind of humanizing catalysis Whitman inspired in people. And in that sense it is exactly accurate. The acting - especially by Rip Torn (Whitman) and Colm Feore as the doctor - is very good. The scripting and dialogue are strong and pay proper attention to the mores and inflections of the time. Overall, what's not to like? Besides, name another film in which Whitman is brought so vividly to life?
Black Robe (1991)
Utterly arresting. A film really without an equal in what it depicts.
"Black Robe" is a film I have seen at least a dozen times and it continues to cause utter astonishment. The highest quality that any art can have is the ability to arrest the mind of the viewer. Days later imagery is still flooding back to you -- feelings -- ideas -- and of course questions... But questions that properly have no easy answers. The first time I saw this film was about 15 years ago when it was first released. I watched it in a Toronto cinema and afterward emerged into a warm and noisy downtown night, crowded with people, signs, lights cars taxis subways et cetera. Immediately, I was in culture shock. The movie had so taken me into the world of 17th century Canada that I could not adjust to the reality of 20th century Canada. It still has that effect. Astonishing.
Ride with the Devil (1999)
Accurate and Worthy Film
I found this film valuable mainly because it has that rare quality that films made in America or about America usually do not: The mannerisms and language spoken by the characters is finely attuned and accurate to the period. It is dismaying how many films just do not get this right, and it ruins everything. If you want to see a film about the Civil War and feel like you've had a glimpse into history, watch Ride With The Devil. THIS is how people acted, and talked. There is a plethora of films about 19th century America in which the script and the dialogue is of the usual ridiculously anachronistic variety (that is, people did not say things like "Okay, that sounds like a plan!" in 1950-- let alone 1850!). Verisimilitude is the 10 dollar word for it, and it does wonders for the enjoyment of a movie. I might add that another movie that comes to mind that has a similar "you are there" accuracy to the script and dialogue is that masterpiece by Martin Scorsese "Gangs of New York." "Ride With the Devil" is worthwhile also because it DOES NOT follow the usual and hackneyed rules of movie story-telling. If you just want to enjoy the usual predictable anecdote, don't see this film. If you like a little truthfulness and true-to-life unpredictability, "Ride With the Devil" will convince you. It figures it takes an intelligent foreigner to make a really decent movie about the Civil War. Having said that, there yet remains to be made THE classic Civil War film. Mr Scorsese, are you listening?