hendem Reviews

The Old Man Who Read Love Stories (2001)

A thoughtful and thought-provoking film.

[21 March 2004]

A leisurely and beautifully filmed movie which concerns an old man (Dreyfus) living in a remote backwater of the Amazon River. Late in life he has learned to read, and he has taken to reading love stories, savouring each word as if it were a morsel of a feast.

The narrative concerns the hunt for a jaguar which has apparently acquired a taste for human flesh. During this adventure we share the old man's reflections, reveries and regrets, fragments of a past life. In the unfolding of the story he is able to make reparation for at least one of his regrets.

The film could be criticised for being slow and uneven at times. I have not read the novel, but I'm sure that it was multi-layered and textured, with underlying themes of missed opportunities, loss of innocence, the environment and the egregious impact of civilisation. The movie only hints at these things and sometimes were are left a little puzzled. But the eloquence is in the mood, which is perfectly captured.

Highly recommended.

The Red Circle (1970)

An unsatisfying curiosity of a film.

[28 October 2003]

Like others who have commented, I saw this movie on the strength of critical acclaim. I was expecting something very special, a film approaching cinematic perfection. What I found was both underwhelming and over-rated.

Despite coming in at bloated 2 hours 20 minutes, the plot exposition was frequently poor. Sometimes things happened for no clear reason.

People have already commented on the artifices and devices that brought the two main characters together. But how did they manage to plan and execute such a complicated heist, which clearly required a deep knowledge concerning the security devices in the jewellery salon? Was all the necessary information conveyed to Corey at the beginning of the film, by the bent prison guard? That hardly seems likely.

There was virtually no character development and it was difficult to engender any sense of empathy with the protagonists.

People behaved oddly at times. Whey did Vogel take off his clothes to cross the stream? And afterwards even put his tie back on? How did the Montand character, in the grip of delerium tremens when first encountered, manage to instantly turn his life around?

At times I found myself chuckling. At the duck-like waddle of the French traffic cop. At the exaggerated swagger of the gangsters. I doubt Melville intended these as humourous high-points.

People have praised the cinematography. Yes, some of the camera aspects and points of view were interesting. But perhaps I was unlucky. The print that I viewed was muddy and dank.

The mood and style of the movie was curious. It was more in the idiom of the fifties than the seventies. The overwhelming impression was that I was watching a bit of curiosity, a relic that simply did not stand up by modern standards.

The Dancer Upstairs (2002)

a disappointing debut

[27 July 2003]

The pace was ponderous, the accents were frequently indecipherable, the cinematography was dank and grainy, and the editing was haphazard. My guess is that most of this movie ended up on the cutting room floor.

It might have made more sense on a second viewing, but Malkovich needs to know that most movie goers will only see a movie once.

Dog Soldiers (2002)

woof.

[21 March 2003]

What a crock.

Don't waste your hard-earned.

Mulholland Drive (2001)

Just see it.

[18 February 2002]

I see quite a few movies, maybe fifty a year. I'm selective about what I see, so it's mostly good stuff - and a bit of crap. Once in a while something comes along which transcends the medium. Something so sublime that it makes an indelible impression that stays with me forever. In my movie viewing career (20 years) there have been maybe 4 or 5 such gems.

Mulholland Drive is one.

You will find it bewildering, but it is fascinating and visually compelling. It contains vignettes which are an endless delight.

Drink it in, let it wash over you, and savour the experience. Discuss it with your friends afterwards and check out the websites.

For me, it is a work of genius.

Spy Game (2001)

Brain dead entertainment.

[9 February 2002]

I won't bother recounting the plot again. This movie is 90% style, 10% substance. If you like that sort of thing, fine. Personally I was shagged out by Tony Scott's directorial pyrotechnics before the end of the first reel.

The performances are just OK. Redford plays a stock-standard Redford character. Ditto for Pitt. No effort involved. Both just cruise along. But I enjoyed Stephen Dillane's performance as the sleazy prototype of the "new generation" CIA operative.

I quite liked the format of the movie - a series of sub-stories cobbled together through the device of an integrating, underlying plot-line. Problem is, the whole thing is incoherent and does not stand up to even the most superficial critical analysis.

If you like this sort of thing and you've got nothing better to do, fine. Otherwise, forget it.

Enigma (2001)

Leisurely pace espionage drama.

[29 October 2001]

A WW2 espionage drama, set against the backdrop of Bletchley Manor, the top-secret facility established by Britain for the purpose of breaking the Enigma code. Enigma was the name given to the "unbreakable" code used by the German forces, for deployment of units in the European theatre of war.

Tom Jericho (Dougray Scott) is a crack code-breaker who is returning to Bletchley after leave. We soon find out that he is psychologically on the edge, because of an unrequited love affair with the mysterious Claire. (Saphron Burrows.) When he arrives back at Bletchley Manor, Claire, an erstwhile low-level employee, has disappeared. Tom enlists the help of her former house-mate, Hester, (Kate Winslet) to solve the mystery of her disappearance. As some questions are answered, many more arise.

The screenplay is based on a book of the same name by Thomas Harris. (Fatherland.) Although it is some time since I read the book, I think the film was pretty faithful to the original story.

I really enjoyed the appearance of the film - particularly the depiction of war-time England. I presume the original Bletchley Manor was the setting. I found the performances a little patchy. Dougray Scott was OK as the tortured code-breaker, but I found it difficult to warm to the character and was not able to develop much empathy. Saphron Burrows was vague and vapid (as is usually the case), but Winslet was outstanding as the plucky and resourceful Hester. Most of the time she looked as plain as a pudding, but at other times she was positively alluring.

The other performance of note was Jeremy Northam as the MI5 operative - slightly sleazy, slightly decadent - always entertaining, and his scenes were a pleasure. (I think he might have potential as a James Bond.)

This is a leisurely paced movie - a pleasing anodyne to the usual frenetic Hollywood fare we have been subjected to of late - though in the concluding scenes there is action a-plenty with a dash to Scotland, reminiscent of John Buchan's "39 Steps".

Overall, highly recommended. Be prepared to engage with the movie. Don't expect non-stop action, savour the performances, and I am sure you will enjoy it.

(Mick Jagger, one of the producers, apparently has a cameo. I couldn't spot him. Did you?)

A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001)

A movie of 3 parts.

[23 September 2001]

Definitely a story of 3 parts. Part one is regulation SF in the Kubrikian vein - cold, clinical, and probably the most satisfying.

About a third of the way through, the movie makes a rather clunky change of gears and now we have horror fantasy, reminiscent of Stephen King. (Though he had nothing to do with this movie.)

The segue into part three is also rather contrived, and we are now into pure schmaltzy Speilberg, complete with benevolent aliens and swelling musical score.

I found the movie extremely interesting, all the more so because of its imperfections. Had I been there purely for the entertainment to wash over me, I would have found it less satisfying.

Not to be missed by aficionados.