"Somm" is the abbreviation" for Sommelier. "Somm 3" is the follow up to two previous documentaries: "Somm" and "Somm Into the Bottle." It is a brief history of the 1976 Judgement in Paris, thought up and executed by Steven Spurrier, comparing the best Bordeaux of the day against the best of the California Napa Valley boutique wineries, tasted blind. "Bottle Shock" is a movie that recreates the white wine Paris 1976 competition. The California wines finished on top of the heap, blind tasted by only French wine experts, in both the red and white categories. It eventually turned the wine world upside down. The setup for "Somm 3" was a blind tasting of pinot noirs from the around the world, judged by and setup by Dustin Wilson, a Master Sommelier, a restaurant and wine shop owner in NYC and blind tasted by the best wine experts in NYC. The results were surprising and eye opening to me. Then there is another pinot noir blind tasting in Paris with Jancis Robinson, Fred Dame (the Master of the Master Sommeliers in the US), and Steven Spurrier (who died recently). Plus a beginning segment where the three taste the bottles of wine which got them interested in wine. "Somm," "Somm Into the Bottle," and "Somm 3" comprise a worthy and interesting resource for non-expert wine enthusiasts.
Reviews
37 Reviews
Julia
(2022–2023)
Historical Fiction
6 May 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Although entertaining to watch, there are two key areas that the writers simply invented: 1st the black character who never existed and 2nd the encounter between Julia Child and Betty Friedan. This is why it is historical fiction in which the non-discriminatory viewers will never be aware of it being made up. And these are the two lynch pins of the series, so far, aside from the intimate exchanges between Julia Child and her husband.
It Happened in Saint-Tropez
(2013)
Lou de Laage
22 April 2013
Lou de Laage is potentially the next great film actress from France. Seen at ColCoa 2013, Des Gens qui s'embarassent is a break out performance for her after Jappeloup. The director of Des Gens qui s'embarassent, Daniele Thompson, obviously saw something in this young actress because she is the center of attention and has to carry the film. The camera loves her and she is able to take control of the screen, projecting extremely well with the feeling that she is not acting. She is certainly gifted with the talent and looks that can take her to the top. All she needs to do is to learn English, let great directors find her, and take Hollywood by storm.
Gomorrah
(2008)
a stunning film
28 November 2009
A masterpiece: raw, brutal, violent, jarring. A visceral assault on one's nervous system. Has to be seen more than once, like 3X or 4X. Never seen anything like it. When the film is taken on its own without reference to the book and the Italian mafia (for those who are unfamiliar with those), it still stands by itself, unlike some other films that require knowing something about them or having to watch commentary to explain it. In comparison, makes The Godfather look like it was meant for the tea and crumpet audience. Must have been shot on an ultra low budget. A great film that may have been the best film of 2008 - unbelievably ignored by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. To my amazement, it looks like great films can come out of current day Italy.
Dangerous Liaisons
(2003– )
nothing less than truly stunning
18 March 2004
Shot in French, director Josee Dayan's `Les Liaisons Dangereuses' (2003) is the fifth film adaptation of the classic Choderlos de Laclos tale of amorality, deceit, revenge, betrayal, lust and love. In its extended 252 minute mini-tv series version, the film presents a reworked, coherent story reset into the 1960's. Because of awesome cinematography, a highly complementary musical score, and a first rate cast with superb performances from Catherine Deneuve, Rupert Everett, Nastassja Kinski, Leelee Sobieski and the supporting cast, `Les Liaisons Dangereuses' (2003) is a stellar integrated work that is candy for both the eye and the mind. All of the major characters have depth that is allowed to develop because of the mini-tv series format of 252 minutes (a lot longer than most films). This film is a rarity because it is entirely dialog driven. The editing is very tight and the film never drags. For mature audiences only, there is a look and feel to it that is absolutely riveting.
There are three dvd versions available: (1) in French with English subtitles, (2) English spoken by the actors, and (3) the definitive extended 3 dvd set in French with English subtitles and an interview with the director. (1) and (2) are truncated 200 minute versions with anamorphic transfers. I saw `Les Liaisons Dangereuses' (2003) on (3) and this is probably the dvd to watch because of its gorgeous anamorphic transfer in a European 2.35:1 aspect ratio, although it is listed as an anamorphic 1.78:1 aspect ratio. (3) is the extended version with a total run time of over 300 minutes, including a 50 minute director's interview.
There are three dvd versions available: (1) in French with English subtitles, (2) English spoken by the actors, and (3) the definitive extended 3 dvd set in French with English subtitles and an interview with the director. (1) and (2) are truncated 200 minute versions with anamorphic transfers. I saw `Les Liaisons Dangereuses' (2003) on (3) and this is probably the dvd to watch because of its gorgeous anamorphic transfer in a European 2.35:1 aspect ratio, although it is listed as an anamorphic 1.78:1 aspect ratio. (3) is the extended version with a total run time of over 300 minutes, including a 50 minute director's interview.
One from the Heart
(1981)
Adult fairy tale without a princess or prince charming
24 February 2004
Possibly a classic, Francis Coppola's R rated 'One from the heart' has a very simple plot line set in neon lit Las Vegas in which a man and woman are tired of each other after living together for five years, they split apart for a night, then somehow or other they get back together. What is exceptional about the film is the cinematography, the spectacular lighting, seamless no transition scenes without cuts, the integral sound track by Tom Waits and Crystal Gayle, and a stunning Nastassia Kinski in an over-sized martini glass. With the use of such vivid color by cinematographer Vittorio Storaro, it is highly reminiscent of Fassbinder's 1981 'Lola' in which green and blue lighting come off skin and works quite well. Recently released on a spectacular two DVD set that was remastered by Coppola, the high quality transfer, supervised by Storaro, from Zoetrope via Fantoma works quite well on the normal sized TV screen and looks even better than it did in its short time release around the country in late 2003 and January 2004. 'One from the heart' is an unusual romantic musical with dance sequences supervised by Gene Kelly, with the only singing done by a cast member is Nastassia's 'Little Boy Blue.' The DVD is exceptionally visual with running film commentary by Coppola plus many other bonus features.
Maria's Lovers
(1984)
A signature Nastassja Kinski film.
9 December 2003
Set in the immediate post World War II in the small rural picturesque American town of Brownsville, Pennsylvania among Yugoslavian immigrants, `Maria's Lovers' follows a young soldier with the name of Ivan Bibec, played by John Savage, who has been discharged from the Army, into his home town. The film seems to unfold slowly upon first viewing, but that is misleading because it has been very tightly edited and one can only pick up some of the nuances of the film by watching it a second and/or a third time. Nastassja Kinski is Maria Bosic and is the central character in the film. The supporting cast is first rate with Anita Morris, Robert Mitchum and Keith Carradine. The film has a European feel to it because of the direction of Andrei Konchalovsky, meaning that it is sparse and compact, yet exquisitely framed. Early on, Ivan marries his sweetheart, Maria, and the rest of the film deals with love and infidelity and how it impacts the two main characters and their marriage.
1984 found Nastassja Kinski in four film releases: `Unfaithfully Yours' a nice light comedy, `The Hotel New Hampshire' (a Nastassja disaster in which she initially appears in a bear costume and is so happy to escape it that she does one cartwheel at the end of the film), the Wim Wenders' legendary `Paris, Texas' in which she appears in the last part of the film, and then there was `Maria's Lovers' in which she was the featured and marquee performer. In `Maria's Lovers,' Nastassja has to carry the film in a very difficult role that would stretch any actress's abilities and skills. Of the forty plus Nastassja movies that I have seen, this is probably her best role and performance. Nastassja's Maria is textured and rich with innocence, shyness, passion, vulnerability, and character strength. If anything, Nastassja Kinski is chameleon like because she so easily blends into the film and yet her character is quite distinctive with depth, dealing with the irrationalities of love, intimacy, and infidelity. In a sense, `Maria's Lovers' is an end point for Nastassja because she was finally able to integrate everything into one performance. There is little question that Nastassja Kinski is foremost a dramatic actress of unparalleled skills that can be subtle or dynamic or anything in between when on the screen. Coupled with her singular striking beauty and expressive eyes, she is a package that very few actresses can ever hope to equal. Nastassja intuitively knows how to move on screen, have the proper inflections in her voice, use her face and eyes as an ever changing canvas, project intelligence and sensuality, and be charismatic with great screen presence. This was nothing less than a superb performance.
1984 found Nastassja Kinski in four film releases: `Unfaithfully Yours' a nice light comedy, `The Hotel New Hampshire' (a Nastassja disaster in which she initially appears in a bear costume and is so happy to escape it that she does one cartwheel at the end of the film), the Wim Wenders' legendary `Paris, Texas' in which she appears in the last part of the film, and then there was `Maria's Lovers' in which she was the featured and marquee performer. In `Maria's Lovers,' Nastassja has to carry the film in a very difficult role that would stretch any actress's abilities and skills. Of the forty plus Nastassja movies that I have seen, this is probably her best role and performance. Nastassja's Maria is textured and rich with innocence, shyness, passion, vulnerability, and character strength. If anything, Nastassja Kinski is chameleon like because she so easily blends into the film and yet her character is quite distinctive with depth, dealing with the irrationalities of love, intimacy, and infidelity. In a sense, `Maria's Lovers' is an end point for Nastassja because she was finally able to integrate everything into one performance. There is little question that Nastassja Kinski is foremost a dramatic actress of unparalleled skills that can be subtle or dynamic or anything in between when on the screen. Coupled with her singular striking beauty and expressive eyes, she is a package that very few actresses can ever hope to equal. Nastassja intuitively knows how to move on screen, have the proper inflections in her voice, use her face and eyes as an ever changing canvas, project intelligence and sensuality, and be charismatic with great screen presence. This was nothing less than a superb performance.
Bella Mafia
(1997 TV Movie)
don't ever cross Nastassja
24 October 2003
'Bella Mafia' was a TV mini-series that is available on VHS tape in two versions: one an apparently truncated version of 117 minutes on one tape while the preferable version is over two tapes and 180 minutes or three hours (but that includes seven minutes of previews of other films). One could think of this as a poor cousin to 'The Godfather,' but from the point of view of the women. These women are the wives or would be wife of the Luciano family. The men, father and sons, are all killed and it is up to the women to even the score. It has a nice look to it, but seems to overly draw from 'The Godfather' by using the name Michael and without compelling supporting character actors. Unfortunately for 'Bella Mafia' there are no equivalents of Al Pacino to be found here or anything resembling the presence of Marlon Brando. Hence, the movie is dominated by two presence's: Vanessa Redgrave as the matriarch of the family and Nastassja Kinski, one of her daughters-in-law. With the end of the first half of the movie, it is more than obvious what will eventually happen in the second half. The only question being what will be the details? In that sense, the movie unfolds very predictably and there is little suspense. It is a problem that the author of the novel, Lynda La Plante, never overcomes because she is also credited with the 'teleplay.' It is then a matter of appreciating the performances. All of the male actors seem to be weak and are easily overshadowed first by Vanessa Redgrave and then by the take-control of the film by Nastassja Kinski. Nastassja's performance is intelligent, as usual, and exceedingly even throughout at an elevated level. She is more than believable and has at least given a very good performance, covering lots of emotional range. Make no mistake, this is no 'Godfather' or anything close. Just never mess with Nastassja's Sophia character, otherwise one is likely to end up dead.
Stay as You Are
(1978)
Nastassja Kinski 1978: star power of the first order of magnitude
21 October 2003
"Stay as You Are" was Nastassja Kinski's fifth film following the 1975 Wim Wenders, "The Wrong Move," a so-so 1976 "To the Devil...a Daughter," and the two forgettable's: 1977 "Only For Your Love" and the 1978 "Boarding School." It is an Italian film of the time with its own mores with respect to extra marital affairs - a repeated undercurrent in many Italian films. "Stay as You Are" follows an older man who is contemplating an affair with a young girl, Nastassja Kinski, who is the same age as his own daughter but with the complication that Nastassja may actually be his real daughter from an affair of twenty years ago. A good European director can finesse this sort of situation. Most American directors would be over their heads and would be fortunate if they could tread water because the subject would be taboo in the American market. The actor is the legendary Marcello Mastroianni who at the time would have been 54. In viewing her early films, it is hard to not conclude that Nastassja has a birth year of 1959 and not the claimed 1961 because of her physical development. Perhaps she was just precocious. That would have placed her at nineteen for this film. The next year would give us Roman Polanski's "Tess" and "Stay as You Are" was a good prelude because it showed that, even at her young age, Nastassja had the screen presence to carry movies on her own opposite one of the European super stars of the time. The VHS tape that I saw was dubbed into English with neither voices matching either Nastassja's or Mastroianni's actual voices. For me, it is better to watch a movie in its native language with English subtitles, unless the principal actors do their own dubbing. An awful example of English dubbing is the French movie "La Femme Nikita." The voice is an integral part of an actor's screen presence, unless playing a mute like Nastassja did in "The Wrong Move." Some actors always sound the same, movie after movie. Nastassja Kinski is able to change her voice, according to the the needs of her role. She is one of very few actresses who is fluent in multiple languages. In "To the Devil...a Daughter" it is English, "The Blonde" it is Italian, "Moon in the Gutter" it is French, "Terminal Velocity" there is a little Russian. The bulk of her movies are in English. "Faraway, So Close" there is both German and English. "Paris, Texas" has Nastassja in a convincing Texan accent in which one would be hard pressed to know from the voice that it is she.
Marcello Mastroianni always seems to bring a signature vulnerability whose intensity varies with the role. These characters are usually thoughtful and contemplative with an edge of awkwardness. Another way of putting it, is that these roles usually have depth. In "Stay as You Are" Mastroianni is almost entirely reactive to Nastassja's character. At first, he pursues her, then she pursues him because she likes older man. Then it is back and forth. Nastassja has to carry the movie. Sometimes she is flighty and silly. Other times she is serious. Her physical beauty is easily matched by her acting talent. Her movements are fluid, sometimes discontinuous, and her face ever changing as appropriate to the situation. Nastassja Kinski is a great natural actress who makes everything look easy. Her performances are always intelligent with a screen savviness that can be mesmerizing.
"Stay as You Are" is a tender romantic jewel that is difficult to find on VHS tape and expensive, if found. Along with "The Wrong Move," it would benefit from a first class transfer onto DVD with commentaries from Wim Wenders and Nastassja Kinski. I would have to include both "The Wrong Move" and "Stay as You Are" in any list of her core set of movies. There is a region 2 DVD widescreen version that is playable on a computer DVD, but it is in Italian with no English subtitles. With its not unexpected symmetry, "Stay as You Are" and Nastassja Kinski is cinema magic.
Marcello Mastroianni always seems to bring a signature vulnerability whose intensity varies with the role. These characters are usually thoughtful and contemplative with an edge of awkwardness. Another way of putting it, is that these roles usually have depth. In "Stay as You Are" Mastroianni is almost entirely reactive to Nastassja's character. At first, he pursues her, then she pursues him because she likes older man. Then it is back and forth. Nastassja has to carry the movie. Sometimes she is flighty and silly. Other times she is serious. Her physical beauty is easily matched by her acting talent. Her movements are fluid, sometimes discontinuous, and her face ever changing as appropriate to the situation. Nastassja Kinski is a great natural actress who makes everything look easy. Her performances are always intelligent with a screen savviness that can be mesmerizing.
"Stay as You Are" is a tender romantic jewel that is difficult to find on VHS tape and expensive, if found. Along with "The Wrong Move," it would benefit from a first class transfer onto DVD with commentaries from Wim Wenders and Nastassja Kinski. I would have to include both "The Wrong Move" and "Stay as You Are" in any list of her core set of movies. There is a region 2 DVD widescreen version that is playable on a computer DVD, but it is in Italian with no English subtitles. With its not unexpected symmetry, "Stay as You Are" and Nastassja Kinski is cinema magic.
Diary of a Sex Addict
(2001 Video)
a case of heterosexual addiction that is BORING!
28 September 2003
A sexually obsessed chef leads a duplicitous life: one as a "happily" married man with a ten year oldish child, the other as a sex fiend. The bulk of the documentary-like film follows him for five consecutive days and is told in flashback with Nastassja Kinski as a clinical sex therapist, listening to his story and intelligently probing him. Nastassja's role is very restrictive and she is the only principal adult character who does not take off her clothes. If she had, I would have rated this movie a big fat "F." As it is, it rates an F+, implying that it is still a failure unless one likes to be bored. It is probably a lot more interesting to spend ninety minutes cleaning out the garage. "Diary of a Sex Addict" falls into the category of films that once one has seen it, one wishes that one hadn't.
Town & Country
(2001)
a shallow film wrapped in a veneer of fluff
28 September 2003
"Town & Country" is a comedy that is neither amusing nor funny. With more than its share of ineptly written dialog and clumsily staged scenes, it is atrocious. "Town & Country" is suppose to be a humorous look at the upper middle class and the sexual misadventures of two "happily" married couples. There are too many superfluous scenes that should have been edited out of the movie because they go nowhere. Then there are the sequences in which one immediately knows what will happen, but seem to be interminably stretched out as aggravating time filler.
If Warren Beatty wanted to look like a nincompoop, he has succeeded. "Town & Country" feels like a retread of past comedies, but very poorly imitated. As the jilted spouses, Diane Keaton and Goldie Hawn come off fine. Andie MacDowell's character manages to pad at least another twenty minutes to the film. She displays the amazing eyesight of an eagle because, while riding in a ski lift, she can spot Warren Beatty's character from at least thirty feet away when he is dressed as a fly fisherman with a floppy hat covering all of his hair and obscuring his face, reminiscent of Jack Lemmon in "Grumpy Old Men."
Nastassja Kinski, as a cellist having an affair with Beatty, received sixth billing and more than holds her own and is one of the few bright spots of this film. The opening scene has Warren Beatty watching her play the cello with her completely naked. He simultaneously confesses in a voice over that he is not interested in classical music and that he is making a mistake. The initial shot of Nastassja is from behind her in which we see two musical clefts symmetrically painted onto her naked back - except that this is a credited cello body double. The closing credits list the actors in order of appearance so that Nastassja Kinski is listed second after Warren Beatty - very clever on her part.
"Town & Country" was a box office dud that can best be appreciated if one is drunk.
If Warren Beatty wanted to look like a nincompoop, he has succeeded. "Town & Country" feels like a retread of past comedies, but very poorly imitated. As the jilted spouses, Diane Keaton and Goldie Hawn come off fine. Andie MacDowell's character manages to pad at least another twenty minutes to the film. She displays the amazing eyesight of an eagle because, while riding in a ski lift, she can spot Warren Beatty's character from at least thirty feet away when he is dressed as a fly fisherman with a floppy hat covering all of his hair and obscuring his face, reminiscent of Jack Lemmon in "Grumpy Old Men."
Nastassja Kinski, as a cellist having an affair with Beatty, received sixth billing and more than holds her own and is one of the few bright spots of this film. The opening scene has Warren Beatty watching her play the cello with her completely naked. He simultaneously confesses in a voice over that he is not interested in classical music and that he is making a mistake. The initial shot of Nastassja is from behind her in which we see two musical clefts symmetrically painted onto her naked back - except that this is a credited cello body double. The closing credits list the actors in order of appearance so that Nastassja Kinski is listed second after Warren Beatty - very clever on her part.
"Town & Country" was a box office dud that can best be appreciated if one is drunk.
Somebody Is Waiting
(1996)
Nastassja projects better from the grave than those living on screen
26 September 2003
A difficult movie to watch once that certainly does not merit a second viewing. Some aspects of "Somebody Is Waiting," are frankly boring and almost akin to having to endure someone dragging their fingernails across a blackboard. A dysfunctional family is held together by the mother, Nastassja Kinski, but she is killed off within twenty minutes and then the viewer has to endure her highly despicable husband until he too dies accidentally. Even though she is no longer amongst the living, Nastassja's presence in flashback and voiceovers is the glue that holds this movie together. "Somebody Is Waiting" is a melodrama that is suffocating and has the lightness of a five hundred pound lead weight.
Quarantine
(2000 TV Movie)
enough ham around for lots of sandwiches
25 September 2003
It could have been worse. This movie is at the low end of expectations for a made for tv film. Fortunately, it is not available on DVD or VHS tape and had to be taped off of tv with commercials intact, but zappable. Most of the bad acting can probably be blamed on the script, because it is hard to conclude that what is up on the tv screen is nothing less than corny. The movie begins realistically enough but quickly goes downhill with lots of the dialog feeling forced and overly sentimental. At least Nastassja Kinski has the lead role as the scientist who has to find a cure for a bio-warfare, fatal virus. She and her on-screen daughter are the only ones to escape from the script alive and only because of Nastassja's screen presence that carries most of the scenes that she is in. Early on, Nastassja, dressed in a black Ninja type outfit, is a member of a destroy mission, somewhat reminiscent of Nikita of "La Femme Nikita," the tv series. Then she is plunged into a poorly thought out remake of "The Andromeda Strain," but without the aid of Michael Crichton. If the script were actually realistic, then we poor American citizens are in a world of trouble because the so-called national security is not even second rate, but probably fifth rate. If the writers are smart, they would be wise to never admit that they wrote this script because it has been very poorly researched with god-awful dialog and situations that only a real professional like Nastassja can escape, including a scene that seems to have been lifted out of "Paris, Texas." Most of the acting is hammy and some might find that amusing or something to laugh at because it is so bad.
La bionda
(1993)
for Nastassja fans only, vastly under rated and unappreciated
22 September 2003
'The Blonde' is an Italian language film with English subtitles that seem to flow by all too quickly, but then Italians seem to like to talk quickly anyway. The opening titles make it appear that the viewer is in for a boring movie with its detailed, close up look at the mechanism of a watch with commentary on how to fix it or what to look for when doing so. It is vaguely reminiscent of one of the scenes in 'The Graduate' in which Benjamin, Dustin Hoffman, is floating in a pool totally bored. The protagonist, Tommaso, is a student watch repairman who is taking the final classes on his craft before going into business for himself. His life is boring, although he does have a waiting fiancée. On the way back to his apartment at night, he hits Nastassja in a crosswalk with his car as she decides to cross against a red light signal. She suffers amnesia and the movie moves on from there. Sergio Rubini is both the director and Tommaso, which is a nice way to get to appear in a movie with Nastassja Kinski and have control of it at the same time. The script is fine because there aren't any glaring logical errors in it, although one could nit-pick and find something to complain about. This is probably the only movie in which Nastassja is actually hysterical - one will have to see the film to know why. The first half of the film deals with Tommaso trying to help Nastassja recover from her amnesia, the second half is what happens afterward. Of course, Tommaso falls for Nastassja and the second half deals with his pursuit of her after she suddenly disappears. Sergio Rubini at least knows one good way of making a Nastassja Kinski film: put her on the screen in many closeups at varying moments, catching her without much make up, fully made up, show her facial texture with flaws, wrap her in an expensive torn dress from the accident, buy her an outfit to replace the torn dress, let her get wet in the rain, show her in stunning designer clothes, AND above all just let her act. 'The Blonde' was released in 1992 and only recently has been released on DVD in a full frame format, not letter boxed.
Yes, Nastassja did it, but will she get away with murder?
16 September 2003
This appears to be Nastassja Kinski's third film - made for TV, but probably not run in the US in its unedited form because of its nudity which is nothing shocking. The film is dubbed into English from German, but it is highly unlikely that Nastassja did the dubbing because her voice is so different. Nastassja as Sina Wolf is having an affair with her English teacher and is caught in the act by one of her admiring male classmates. Blackmail ensues and when it comes time for Sina to pay off, she kills her blackmailer with a rock because she finds him repulsive when he attempts to make love with her, his price for silence as well as forcing her to be his perpetual girl friend. The bulk of the movie concerns Nastassja attempting to evade incriminating herself as a murderess with a dogged police detective in hot pursuit because he senses something fishy. This was not much of a role for Nastassja and certainly not up to her performances in "The Wrong Move" or "To the Devil...a Daughter." At least she is always on screen and looks like a sixteen year old student. "For Your Love Only" is a filler movie in her career that was followed by the totally uninspiring "Boarding School." "For Your Love Only" is not awful, but it isn't exactly good either. Just acceptable and a minor footnote in her meteoric career.
Wrong Move
(1975)
"The Wrong Move:" is it superficial or deep?
14 September 2003
"The Wrong Move" is essentially a plot less film about loneliness that follows a late twenty-ish year old, blond German writer-to-be for six days. He is someone who is in search of something. The film is in German with English subtitles and is unusual in that there are occasional first person voice over/commentaries by the principal character by which we know exactly what he is thinking. The film is set in the early 70's with a short audio track of American rock that dates the movie. Through his first person commentary, the writer freely admits that he is not very good at observing people nor does he like people, which leads one to wonder what kind of writer is he? Because "The Wrong Move" is a Wim Wender's film, one inevitably notices the carefully composed shots with meticulous attention to detail. This brief odyssey is a more sophisticated version of candid camera in which the confused writer encounters a handful of people. The film, then, is about his interactions with these people. These characters appear randomly, interact, and disperse.
This is probably Nastassja Kinski's first film. If not, then the likelihood of ever watching whatever preceded "The Wrong Move" is close to zero. Long out of print, "The Wrong Move" was only available on scarce, hard to find VHS tape that can be exorbitant in cost, but now is one of eight DVD's in the Wim Wenders Collection Vol 2. It is extremely unfortunate that the DVD has been enhanced for pseudo wide screen, meaning that the original 4:3 image has been chopped, losing some of the image of the original VHS tape. The film was low budget and has attained near cult following among some. Nastassja was a whole thirteen years old when "The Wrong Move" was filmed. This was the first of three films that she has made with Wim Wenders with the other two being: the legendary 1984 "Paris, Texas" and the powerful 1993 "Faraway, So Close." In "The Wrong Move," Nastassja is cast as a mute - meaning that she doesn't speak, has no lines of dialog, and doesn't use anything resembling sign language. Her on screen presence is then all facial expression and body language. In some scenes she looks like a scruffy, scrawny twenty year old.
Other times, she has the face of a twelve year old. Sometimes she is a well made up teenager. Sometimes not. But there are always the tennis shoes and the way that she walks that underscores that she is a very young adolescent girl. In the hands of Wim Wenders, her performance is fluid and natural. She and her much older male companion/guardian make their living with Nastassja as a street performer - one that is not highly skilled and in some respects awkward. That has to do more with her young age, rather than a lack of physical skills. Nastassja is a juggler and not a very good one as she usually drops one of the balls. One time she stands on her head, another time she does cart wheels. Eight years later in "Exposed" this gymnastic talent would be on full display in a very sexy, solo performance in front of an all seeing mirror. There is one particular memorable scene in which the writer and the band of strangers are walking through a neighborhood street, observing the interchanges between residents on the roof top of the buildings. The timing is exquisite, the look on Nastassja's face is memorable - but that is Wim Wenders and is an indication of the potential first rate talent in this thirteen year old girl. It is no accident that Nastassja is in so many scenes and some of those appearances are very brief. Even in nothing scenes in which she is not doing anything out of the ordinary, Nastassja is focused - not sleeping or bored. Peter Sykes, the director of "To the Devil...a Daughter," would later see "The Wrong Move," remember her, and later on in need of a young German actress would hire Nastassja.
It is all to easy to see "The Wrong Move" as a very superficial movie. Even the translation of the title presents a problem. Should it be "Wrong Movement?" "False Movement?" "wrong" and "false" imply that there is a "right" move or that one has strayed from the "right" path and is in search of it. Is there a "right" path? Is there a "wrong" path? What is the path? Does it make a difference? These are the types of questions that go to the core of the human experience. There is depth here, but only for those who can "see" into it.
This is probably Nastassja Kinski's first film. If not, then the likelihood of ever watching whatever preceded "The Wrong Move" is close to zero. Long out of print, "The Wrong Move" was only available on scarce, hard to find VHS tape that can be exorbitant in cost, but now is one of eight DVD's in the Wim Wenders Collection Vol 2. It is extremely unfortunate that the DVD has been enhanced for pseudo wide screen, meaning that the original 4:3 image has been chopped, losing some of the image of the original VHS tape. The film was low budget and has attained near cult following among some. Nastassja was a whole thirteen years old when "The Wrong Move" was filmed. This was the first of three films that she has made with Wim Wenders with the other two being: the legendary 1984 "Paris, Texas" and the powerful 1993 "Faraway, So Close." In "The Wrong Move," Nastassja is cast as a mute - meaning that she doesn't speak, has no lines of dialog, and doesn't use anything resembling sign language. Her on screen presence is then all facial expression and body language. In some scenes she looks like a scruffy, scrawny twenty year old.
Other times, she has the face of a twelve year old. Sometimes she is a well made up teenager. Sometimes not. But there are always the tennis shoes and the way that she walks that underscores that she is a very young adolescent girl. In the hands of Wim Wenders, her performance is fluid and natural. She and her much older male companion/guardian make their living with Nastassja as a street performer - one that is not highly skilled and in some respects awkward. That has to do more with her young age, rather than a lack of physical skills. Nastassja is a juggler and not a very good one as she usually drops one of the balls. One time she stands on her head, another time she does cart wheels. Eight years later in "Exposed" this gymnastic talent would be on full display in a very sexy, solo performance in front of an all seeing mirror. There is one particular memorable scene in which the writer and the band of strangers are walking through a neighborhood street, observing the interchanges between residents on the roof top of the buildings. The timing is exquisite, the look on Nastassja's face is memorable - but that is Wim Wenders and is an indication of the potential first rate talent in this thirteen year old girl. It is no accident that Nastassja is in so many scenes and some of those appearances are very brief. Even in nothing scenes in which she is not doing anything out of the ordinary, Nastassja is focused - not sleeping or bored. Peter Sykes, the director of "To the Devil...a Daughter," would later see "The Wrong Move," remember her, and later on in need of a young German actress would hire Nastassja.
It is all to easy to see "The Wrong Move" as a very superficial movie. Even the translation of the title presents a problem. Should it be "Wrong Movement?" "False Movement?" "wrong" and "false" imply that there is a "right" move or that one has strayed from the "right" path and is in search of it. Is there a "right" path? Is there a "wrong" path? What is the path? Does it make a difference? These are the types of questions that go to the core of the human experience. There is depth here, but only for those who can "see" into it.
To the Devil a Daughter
(1976)
This is NOT a third rate horror movie!
9 September 2003
This is not a film for the occult horror film aficionado. "To the Devil...a Daughter" has already received a few whithering reviews that are all justified. Dennis Wheatley, the author of the book, condemned it because there was little resemblance to his novel and what appears on screen, except for the title. Currently available on wide screen 16X9 anamorphic transfer, the DVD contains a 24 minute documentary with recent commentary by Peter Sykes, the director, and Roy Skeggs, the producer. "To the Devil...a Daughter" is a well done film that demonstrates what a first rate director is capable of with a limited budget. This film turns out to be the horror film equivalent of "Casablanca" because the movie as originally scripted was not filmable. Hence, with the start of production, the script was continually being written on a day to day basis by Gerald Vaughan-Hughes, an uncredited screen writer. "To the Devil...a Daughter" followed the genre setting "The Exorcist" and "Rosemary's Baby" and was the last Hammer film because it was too little and too late.
"To the Devil...a Daughter" is one of the earliest Nastassja Kinski films and must have been seen by Roman Polanski who realized her potential. It is not a chessey film, but does have a few pieces of cheese in it. The most obvious one is the full frontal nudity scene of a very young Nastassja. Yes, it is cheesey, but from an editing view, is more shocking than titillating. In her first scene, it is apparent that there is more than a passing resemblance between Nastassja and Ingrid Bergman - innocent, clean beauties. In one of the scenes, Nastassja was having a problem actually getting the tears that the director wanted and there had been quite a few retakes. Richard Widmark said to the director, "when I say turnover, turnover, it's going to happen." Sykes started the film rolling and Widmark hit her right "in the chops" and the tears came and he said, "OK, now act." The cast is first rate and included Richard Widmark (who was pretty disgusted with the film and threatened to walk out on it), Christopher Lee (of horror film fame), Honor Blackman a renown actress at the time in Britain (known to American audiences as Pussy Galore of the James Bond "Goldfinger," and Denholm Elliot as the German bad guy in "Raiders of the Lost Ark."
It is best to watch "To the Devil...a Daughter" with no expectations and let the film naturally unfold, without preconceived mental baggage. If one is steeped in the occult traditions, then this movie is not for you because of its glaring errors - all made up by the afore mentioned screen writer. Otherwise, the mood of the picture is quickly set by Richard Widmark's,
"98% of so called satanist are nothing but pathetic freaks who get their kicks out of dancing naked in freezing church yards and use the devil as an excuse for getting some sex, but then there is that other 2%, I'm not so sure about them."
Christopher Lee's role as the maniacal, ex-communicated priest brings to mind the great performance of Boris Karloff as Imhotep in the 1932 "The Mummy," who had the supernatural power to project thought over space and time. "To the Devil...a Daughter" is well paced with its race against time.
"To the Devil...a Daughter" is one of the earliest Nastassja Kinski films and must have been seen by Roman Polanski who realized her potential. It is not a chessey film, but does have a few pieces of cheese in it. The most obvious one is the full frontal nudity scene of a very young Nastassja. Yes, it is cheesey, but from an editing view, is more shocking than titillating. In her first scene, it is apparent that there is more than a passing resemblance between Nastassja and Ingrid Bergman - innocent, clean beauties. In one of the scenes, Nastassja was having a problem actually getting the tears that the director wanted and there had been quite a few retakes. Richard Widmark said to the director, "when I say turnover, turnover, it's going to happen." Sykes started the film rolling and Widmark hit her right "in the chops" and the tears came and he said, "OK, now act." The cast is first rate and included Richard Widmark (who was pretty disgusted with the film and threatened to walk out on it), Christopher Lee (of horror film fame), Honor Blackman a renown actress at the time in Britain (known to American audiences as Pussy Galore of the James Bond "Goldfinger," and Denholm Elliot as the German bad guy in "Raiders of the Lost Ark."
It is best to watch "To the Devil...a Daughter" with no expectations and let the film naturally unfold, without preconceived mental baggage. If one is steeped in the occult traditions, then this movie is not for you because of its glaring errors - all made up by the afore mentioned screen writer. Otherwise, the mood of the picture is quickly set by Richard Widmark's,
"98% of so called satanist are nothing but pathetic freaks who get their kicks out of dancing naked in freezing church yards and use the devil as an excuse for getting some sex, but then there is that other 2%, I'm not so sure about them."
Christopher Lee's role as the maniacal, ex-communicated priest brings to mind the great performance of Boris Karloff as Imhotep in the 1932 "The Mummy," who had the supernatural power to project thought over space and time. "To the Devil...a Daughter" is well paced with its race against time.
Torrents of Spring
(1989)
a very uneven wiggy melodrama
5 September 2003
Warning: spoilers follow
"Torrents of Spring" is an HBO European, horse and carriage, costume drama from the late 1980's. Bought off of e-Bay for less than $7, it is an ex-rental VHS tape that immediately says something about the movie: the initial scenes show tape wear, indicating that the movie was watched for a few minutes and then quickly taken out of the VHS recorder/player and dumped back into its box. The entire movie is told in flashback in which the heart of the movie depicts a young nobleman, Timothy Hutton, in conflict over two women: Valeria Golino, in the role of a bakery shop owner's pretty daughter, and Nastassja Kinski, as a rich married woman who can buy anything.
"Torrents of Spring" has a running time of 102 minutes and neatly breaks into two parts. It would be charitable to characterize the first part of the movie as awful because descriptive phrases come to mind: stiff as a board, stuffed shirt, trite dialogue, awful framing, amateur hour, cardboard characters. Hutton has the look of Pierce Brosnan, trying to do the right thing. Very early on, he falls in love with Valeria Golino's character and after a series of events proposes marriage that he will finance by selling his estate and giving his serfs their freedom - thus drastically cutting the proceeds of the sale. Somewhere around the twenty minute mark, Nastassja Kinski appears in a dreadful looking wig. She takes a fancy to Hutton and through a telescope watches his courting of the pretty shop owner's daughter in a tethered balloon. It is difficult to suppress the thought that Nastassja has just escaped from a villainous role from "The Three Musketeers." Empty chatter and strained moments fill the first sixty minutes of the film, leading one to wonder how much worse "Torrents of Spring" can get. Some way or other, Nastassja finds out about Hutton's marriage and the necessity to sell his estate. But she is after him and sets a trap for him by offering to buy it. At this point, "Torrents of Spring" has risen to the top of the heap as potentially Nastassja's worst movie, ever.
There is a very clear break in continuity in which "Torrents of Spring" shifts from its lackluster veneer into a completely different phase that holds out the potential of vitality. Without her wig, Nastassja loses her hat while chasing Hutton on horseback through a forest. This is a transforming moment that leads into Nastassja's seduction of Hutton. From that moment in the forest, one sees and experiences what Nastassja can do on screen. She takes control of it and never lets it go. It would be very unfair to reveal how the movie ends. It is too bad that the same vision and energy was not invested in the first sixty minutes of the movie. "Torrents of Spring" has its problems or perhaps Nastassja can't act while wearing a wig?
This film looks a lot better on the DVD transfer because it is in widescreen format and gives a much needed added dimension compared to the restrictive full screen version on VHS tape.
"Torrents of Spring" is an HBO European, horse and carriage, costume drama from the late 1980's. Bought off of e-Bay for less than $7, it is an ex-rental VHS tape that immediately says something about the movie: the initial scenes show tape wear, indicating that the movie was watched for a few minutes and then quickly taken out of the VHS recorder/player and dumped back into its box. The entire movie is told in flashback in which the heart of the movie depicts a young nobleman, Timothy Hutton, in conflict over two women: Valeria Golino, in the role of a bakery shop owner's pretty daughter, and Nastassja Kinski, as a rich married woman who can buy anything.
"Torrents of Spring" has a running time of 102 minutes and neatly breaks into two parts. It would be charitable to characterize the first part of the movie as awful because descriptive phrases come to mind: stiff as a board, stuffed shirt, trite dialogue, awful framing, amateur hour, cardboard characters. Hutton has the look of Pierce Brosnan, trying to do the right thing. Very early on, he falls in love with Valeria Golino's character and after a series of events proposes marriage that he will finance by selling his estate and giving his serfs their freedom - thus drastically cutting the proceeds of the sale. Somewhere around the twenty minute mark, Nastassja Kinski appears in a dreadful looking wig. She takes a fancy to Hutton and through a telescope watches his courting of the pretty shop owner's daughter in a tethered balloon. It is difficult to suppress the thought that Nastassja has just escaped from a villainous role from "The Three Musketeers." Empty chatter and strained moments fill the first sixty minutes of the film, leading one to wonder how much worse "Torrents of Spring" can get. Some way or other, Nastassja finds out about Hutton's marriage and the necessity to sell his estate. But she is after him and sets a trap for him by offering to buy it. At this point, "Torrents of Spring" has risen to the top of the heap as potentially Nastassja's worst movie, ever.
There is a very clear break in continuity in which "Torrents of Spring" shifts from its lackluster veneer into a completely different phase that holds out the potential of vitality. Without her wig, Nastassja loses her hat while chasing Hutton on horseback through a forest. This is a transforming moment that leads into Nastassja's seduction of Hutton. From that moment in the forest, one sees and experiences what Nastassja can do on screen. She takes control of it and never lets it go. It would be very unfair to reveal how the movie ends. It is too bad that the same vision and energy was not invested in the first sixty minutes of the movie. "Torrents of Spring" has its problems or perhaps Nastassja can't act while wearing a wig?
This film looks a lot better on the DVD transfer because it is in widescreen format and gives a much needed added dimension compared to the restrictive full screen version on VHS tape.
Spring Symphony
(1983)
Nastassja plays the piano or does she?
5 September 2003
Warning: Spoilers
Warning: minor spoiler of sorts
"Spring Symphony" is the story of Robert Schumann and Clara Wieck. Both were music entities. Robert Schumann turns out to have been a second tier composer, if that, never rising to the heights of a Beethoven or Mozart. In contrast, Clara Wieck was a master technician in the playing of the piano, a composer (probably not at Schumann's level), and was a child prodigy. Clara is a young girl of eight or nine(?) when she first encounters Schumann who is a good ten years plus older than her. Clara's father is her own personal piano teacher who also undertakes the task of training a promising Schumann in the ways of the piano. Very early on, Schumann develops problems with one of his hands that will restrict his ability to ever rise to the level of a successful piano concert player. Fortunately, Schumann has the makings of a composer of sorts. Clara is enchanted by the older Schumann's compositions and makes it a point to play them while on tour with her father as constant companion and chaperon. As Clara grows she eventually morphs into Nastassja Kinski and the stage is set for a struggle between her father and Schumann for her love, loyalty, and attention. Schumann wants to marry her while her father considers him to be a third rate musician who wants to capitalize on Clara's piano skills to support him. Of course, her father is making a nice living with Clara's performances throughout Europe. Clara is underage and needs her father's permission to marry Schumann. This culminates in an actual lawsuit to free her from her father. The movie ends with their marriage and Schumann's first symphony, "Spring Symphony." The movie is historically accurate as far as it goes.
"Spring Symphony" was a movie for Nastassja Kinski that was in between "Cat People" and "Exposed" - at least in terms of its release date. With Nastassja in long hair, it is possible that "Spring Symphony" was filmed either before or after "Cat People." The real life Clara Wieck was an attractive woman so that Nastassja in her role was not out of line. The "Spring Symphony" DVD is in German with English subtitles. The film is well paced and never seems to drag. Nastassja appears to be more than competent at the keyboard and must have spent many hours practicing. Perhaps this film is her tribute to Ingrid Bergman in "Intermezzo."
"Spring Symphony" is the story of Robert Schumann and Clara Wieck. Both were music entities. Robert Schumann turns out to have been a second tier composer, if that, never rising to the heights of a Beethoven or Mozart. In contrast, Clara Wieck was a master technician in the playing of the piano, a composer (probably not at Schumann's level), and was a child prodigy. Clara is a young girl of eight or nine(?) when she first encounters Schumann who is a good ten years plus older than her. Clara's father is her own personal piano teacher who also undertakes the task of training a promising Schumann in the ways of the piano. Very early on, Schumann develops problems with one of his hands that will restrict his ability to ever rise to the level of a successful piano concert player. Fortunately, Schumann has the makings of a composer of sorts. Clara is enchanted by the older Schumann's compositions and makes it a point to play them while on tour with her father as constant companion and chaperon. As Clara grows she eventually morphs into Nastassja Kinski and the stage is set for a struggle between her father and Schumann for her love, loyalty, and attention. Schumann wants to marry her while her father considers him to be a third rate musician who wants to capitalize on Clara's piano skills to support him. Of course, her father is making a nice living with Clara's performances throughout Europe. Clara is underage and needs her father's permission to marry Schumann. This culminates in an actual lawsuit to free her from her father. The movie ends with their marriage and Schumann's first symphony, "Spring Symphony." The movie is historically accurate as far as it goes.
"Spring Symphony" was a movie for Nastassja Kinski that was in between "Cat People" and "Exposed" - at least in terms of its release date. With Nastassja in long hair, it is possible that "Spring Symphony" was filmed either before or after "Cat People." The real life Clara Wieck was an attractive woman so that Nastassja in her role was not out of line. The "Spring Symphony" DVD is in German with English subtitles. The film is well paced and never seems to drag. Nastassja appears to be more than competent at the keyboard and must have spent many hours practicing. Perhaps this film is her tribute to Ingrid Bergman in "Intermezzo."
Your Friends and Neighbors
(1998)
a cutting look at sexuality in relationships in which what is not said is just as important as what is said
2 September 2003
The subject is sex in relationships. "Your Friends & Neighbors" is a film that one either loves or hates. There is no middle ground. It is an actor's movie and one with strong performances. With the vast majority of movies, the viewer is searching for some form of on-screen identification so that one can feel some degree of comfort. This is one of the aspects of "Your Friends & Neighbors" that makes it so unsettling because there is none. There are no heroes or heroines. From the opening scene, the character portrayal and developments are brutal. As the audience, we see everything. There are no pets or children present to soften it. It is an entirely dialogue driven movie that succeeds or fails dependent upon the screen performances of the six principals.
The character delineations are sharp and crisp, whether one likes the character or not. It would give away too much of the film to describe each character. But each and every performance is first rate. Nastassja Kinski finally has a role in which she can show some of her acting skills. Even though her part lacks depth, there is an on-screen sparkle that is delightful to watch.
Because of its subject matter, this is a movie for mature audiences and more than deserves an R rating but not for the usual reasons of sexual depiction or extreme violence - initially it had an NC-17 rating. Most viewers in their 20's can simply not relate to what is happening on-screen. Forget it, if you are a teenager. To appreciate this movie, one must have experienced some part(s) of it on a very personal level.
The character delineations are sharp and crisp, whether one likes the character or not. It would give away too much of the film to describe each character. But each and every performance is first rate. Nastassja Kinski finally has a role in which she can show some of her acting skills. Even though her part lacks depth, there is an on-screen sparkle that is delightful to watch.
Because of its subject matter, this is a movie for mature audiences and more than deserves an R rating but not for the usual reasons of sexual depiction or extreme violence - initially it had an NC-17 rating. Most viewers in their 20's can simply not relate to what is happening on-screen. Forget it, if you are a teenager. To appreciate this movie, one must have experienced some part(s) of it on a very personal level.
The Claim
(2000)
grandeur that is ultimately empty
31 August 2003
The vast majority of movies either sink or swim, depending upon what is up on the screen. For those kinds of films, it makes no difference what is their literary legacy because they presuppose no antecedent, unlike a sequel or a film based upon a tv series. "The Claim" begins with the brownish look of some of the earlier Clint Eastwood westerns and seems to almost attempt to emulate some of that feeling. Naming a town, Kingdom Come, almost immediately brings to mind Pale Rider with "The Claim" lacking the austerity of that film. No one can fault the backdrop of this movie - the Sierra Nevada's. There is hope that this will be more than a decent film with an adequate budget and good actors because it is associated with the BBC. It certainly has a look to it that strives for authenticity. So how does it turn out?
The British underpinning of this movie can either take one of two forms: tally ho and away we go or the stiff British lip that one finds in sound bites from its parliament with those "here, here." Well, the 'here, here" gets the nod here. Even with its nudity, the film is too conservative, indicating a misunderstanding of the feel of the old American west. Whoever wrote the script should have studied the early Clint Eastwood movies (such as "The Outlaw Josey Wales") more thoroughly. It is just too genteel and lacks rawness.
Nastassja Kinski receives third billing in this film. Her role is the glue that holds this movie together. Very early on, for those looking for her, she is seen in 1/8th profile for less than a second and then holding on for dear life as an open ended wagon bounces along the dirt road with her and her daughter in the back. At best, this role is two dimensional and clearly lacks depth because none was called for in the portrayal of a dying woman. As soon as she is shown coughing up blood, it is obviously curtains for her with the hope that she can make something out of the role like Clint Eastwood in "Honkytonk Man" - she can't. She does what she has to with a convincing cough.
The other actors, with more defined and difficult roles, are simply not up to the task to pull them off in a convincing manner. They fail to rise to the occasion. Wes Bentley, as Dalglish, is not credible. He would appear to be more comfortable waiting on tables in between acting jobs at Campanile, a restaurant in Los Angeles. He doesn't appear to possess the mental grit to cold heartedly kill someone, much less spearhead the laying out of a railroad in the wild west. Milla Jovovich as Lucia is passable. There is no electricity in her performance even with her prosthetic gold tooth. Peter Mullan as Daniel Dillon is way too conservative. The role calls for more emotional espression or at least the hint of it. Sarah Polley being a young actress of 20 or so at the time, must have been thrilled to get the role and isn't pushed very hard on the performance scale.
"The Claim" is a movie that is very much like a full cup of water in its beginning, but by the end of the movie one realizes that there is a hole at the bottom of the cup because everything has dribbled away. Simply put, it lacks passion and emotional content.
The British underpinning of this movie can either take one of two forms: tally ho and away we go or the stiff British lip that one finds in sound bites from its parliament with those "here, here." Well, the 'here, here" gets the nod here. Even with its nudity, the film is too conservative, indicating a misunderstanding of the feel of the old American west. Whoever wrote the script should have studied the early Clint Eastwood movies (such as "The Outlaw Josey Wales") more thoroughly. It is just too genteel and lacks rawness.
Nastassja Kinski receives third billing in this film. Her role is the glue that holds this movie together. Very early on, for those looking for her, she is seen in 1/8th profile for less than a second and then holding on for dear life as an open ended wagon bounces along the dirt road with her and her daughter in the back. At best, this role is two dimensional and clearly lacks depth because none was called for in the portrayal of a dying woman. As soon as she is shown coughing up blood, it is obviously curtains for her with the hope that she can make something out of the role like Clint Eastwood in "Honkytonk Man" - she can't. She does what she has to with a convincing cough.
The other actors, with more defined and difficult roles, are simply not up to the task to pull them off in a convincing manner. They fail to rise to the occasion. Wes Bentley, as Dalglish, is not credible. He would appear to be more comfortable waiting on tables in between acting jobs at Campanile, a restaurant in Los Angeles. He doesn't appear to possess the mental grit to cold heartedly kill someone, much less spearhead the laying out of a railroad in the wild west. Milla Jovovich as Lucia is passable. There is no electricity in her performance even with her prosthetic gold tooth. Peter Mullan as Daniel Dillon is way too conservative. The role calls for more emotional espression or at least the hint of it. Sarah Polley being a young actress of 20 or so at the time, must have been thrilled to get the role and isn't pushed very hard on the performance scale.
"The Claim" is a movie that is very much like a full cup of water in its beginning, but by the end of the movie one realizes that there is a hole at the bottom of the cup because everything has dribbled away. Simply put, it lacks passion and emotional content.
The Intruder
(1999)
unbelievable!!!
31 August 2003
There is sufficient tension generated in the film to make one want to watch it through its end, even if the explanation is pure science fiction. Nastassja Kinski has a nice role in which she can appear to be glamorous and rich. She plays it straight because there is no other way to play it. The bulk of the picture is told in flashback, right from the beginning with numerous red herrings that seem to have been in season. Now, let's see, how did that blood end up on Catherine's face? That is the key to the movie. Or as Sherlock Holmes would say: when you have eliminated everything else, what is left must be the truth?
Susan's Plan
(1998)
rates: a too generous C double minus
28 August 2003
With the introductory titles at the beginning of the movie, one can sense that this film is in big trouble. After all, how much emphasis should a palm tree receive - shot and reshot via redundant closeups and pull backs? The first set of scenes seems to set the tenor of the movie and is a grand hint that what follows has the potential of being awful. Cheesy sets, lousy dialogue, poor editing - all worthy of a ninth grade film buff student in his first big homework assignment. The framing of the shots almost seem to be out of "How to Make a Movie 101," with the subsequent movie having a very cook booked feeling or how to make a movie by the numbers.
Somewhere about the 30 minute mark, it becomes exceedingly difficult to suppress the thought that the producer, director, and writer, John Landis, should not be taken outside and shot. It is amazing how he can take a more than capable cast and have most of them looking like low IQ dimwits. The movie's only saving grace is that it is highly uneven, meaning that there is something there to almost balance out its dreadfulness, but not quite. That factor is Dan Aykroyd whose reputation as a comedian proceeds him and without that awareness, the movie would be a complete failure. As the character, Bob, Akyroyd does his version of Tom Hanks in "Road to Perdition" - a deadly serious killer whose lack of on screen humor makes him very funny.
The basic plot of the movie is contained within its title, "Dying to Get Rich! --- Susan's Plan," and revolves around Susan, played by Nastassja Kinski, scheming to get rid of her ex-husband to collect his insurance money. Characterizing the film as a "black comedy" cannot mask its gross deficiencies. It is painful to watch an actress of Nastassja's caliber having to mouth some of the lines that are liberally interspersed with a four letter word, starting with "f" and ending in "k." This must be a Guinness world record for Nastassja uttering the "f" word in any of her movies. It is my fervent hope that Nastassja will never have to attend a film festival of her works and have to provide commentary on a frame to frame basis for this movie.
Because this movie is like a sitting duck, it is too easy to blast it out of the water. One scene has the major participants openly discussing the murder in a crowded, public restaurant! The awkwardness and stiffness of some of the scenes should constitute a nice lesson on how-not-to-make a movie. This is one movie that not even Nastassja can escape unscathed as she leads her merry band of idiots down a path of ruin.
Somewhere about the 30 minute mark, it becomes exceedingly difficult to suppress the thought that the producer, director, and writer, John Landis, should not be taken outside and shot. It is amazing how he can take a more than capable cast and have most of them looking like low IQ dimwits. The movie's only saving grace is that it is highly uneven, meaning that there is something there to almost balance out its dreadfulness, but not quite. That factor is Dan Aykroyd whose reputation as a comedian proceeds him and without that awareness, the movie would be a complete failure. As the character, Bob, Akyroyd does his version of Tom Hanks in "Road to Perdition" - a deadly serious killer whose lack of on screen humor makes him very funny.
The basic plot of the movie is contained within its title, "Dying to Get Rich! --- Susan's Plan," and revolves around Susan, played by Nastassja Kinski, scheming to get rid of her ex-husband to collect his insurance money. Characterizing the film as a "black comedy" cannot mask its gross deficiencies. It is painful to watch an actress of Nastassja's caliber having to mouth some of the lines that are liberally interspersed with a four letter word, starting with "f" and ending in "k." This must be a Guinness world record for Nastassja uttering the "f" word in any of her movies. It is my fervent hope that Nastassja will never have to attend a film festival of her works and have to provide commentary on a frame to frame basis for this movie.
Because this movie is like a sitting duck, it is too easy to blast it out of the water. One scene has the major participants openly discussing the murder in a crowded, public restaurant! The awkwardness and stiffness of some of the scenes should constitute a nice lesson on how-not-to-make a movie. This is one movie that not even Nastassja can escape unscathed as she leads her merry band of idiots down a path of ruin.
Cat People
(1982)
a highly charged, visual, erotic feast that transcends the horror genre
27 August 2003
With "Cat People," Nastassja Kinski indelibly seared her erotic image into the American male psyche. There is no American actress today who would dare take her role in this film. "Cat People" is a landmark film that has never been equaled. Paul Schrader, the director, made this movie his own, turning the original movie upside down. That effort has withstood the test of time that is nearing twenty years and still counting. The film has a visual style that is stunning. Without Nastassja, this film fails. Beginning with a demure, vulnerable character in Irena Gallier, Nastassja transforms herself into a smoldering film presence that spontaneously erupts and torches the screen. With the lone exception of Ruby Dee, none of the supporting cast is capable of withstanding Nastassja's considerable presence, meaning that their character portrayals are quickly forgotten - an effect that separates her from most actresses and is an all too real hazard for most actors appearing in her films. Notorious? Infamous? However one puts it, Nastassja redefined eroticism on screen with not one of today's actresses ever coming close. It is a legendary performance that knows no peer within its genre.
Paris, Texas
(1984)
for the long distance runner, it is a gem
25 August 2003
It is a bit ironic that a German film director, Wim Wenders, along with a German/French film company came into the United States to make an American film in English! Unlike American film makers who invade Europe and usually film in English with the American audience in mind. "Paris, Texas" is a slice of American life probably set in the early 1980's about love and failure. It has to do with a man who has walked around in a daze for four years and then suddenly must deal with his past and the things that he has done as they are stirred back into his memory. Up front, the movie begins slowly and moves at the pace of a handicapped snail. Wim Wenders has a visual style that is reflected on screen in meticulous framing and almost unworldly like colors with scenes that would be very ordinary in everyday life. He is a stickler for details and initially creates a not too sympathetic protagonist in Travis who subsequently finds himself peeled like an onion. As we see these layers and begin to understand his past history, one can more empathize with him, even if he appears to be irrational at times. Such is the human condition.
Although Harry Dean Stanton receives nearly 100% of the screen time because he is in almost every scene, it is Nastassja Kinski who is the lynch pin of the film. It is her performance that makes this slowly evolving film so memorable. This role alone should have been sufficient to propel her into the foremost ranks of super stardom. Her principal scene is unforgettable.
Along with "Tess," "Paris, Texas" cries out for a region one special edition DVD with director's commentary and appropriate comments from the two main leads, Harry Dean Stanton and Nastassja Kinski. Only available in an out of print VHS tape format in the US, I took a chance and bought an all region DVD out of Brazil. Luckily, it played flawlessly.
The recently released region 1 DVD is nothing less than superb with a stunning transfer and audio commentary by Wim Wenders - not to be missed for those who liked this film. And now there is a Blu-Ray transfer from Criterion released in early 2010, that is a must buy for anyone who really liked the film on standard DVD. Almost everything has been fixed via what must have been a painstaking remastering process, approved by Wim Wenders, and to be expected from Criterion. Simply super sharp and stunning on a high definition screen.
Although Harry Dean Stanton receives nearly 100% of the screen time because he is in almost every scene, it is Nastassja Kinski who is the lynch pin of the film. It is her performance that makes this slowly evolving film so memorable. This role alone should have been sufficient to propel her into the foremost ranks of super stardom. Her principal scene is unforgettable.
Along with "Tess," "Paris, Texas" cries out for a region one special edition DVD with director's commentary and appropriate comments from the two main leads, Harry Dean Stanton and Nastassja Kinski. Only available in an out of print VHS tape format in the US, I took a chance and bought an all region DVD out of Brazil. Luckily, it played flawlessly.
The recently released region 1 DVD is nothing less than superb with a stunning transfer and audio commentary by Wim Wenders - not to be missed for those who liked this film. And now there is a Blu-Ray transfer from Criterion released in early 2010, that is a must buy for anyone who really liked the film on standard DVD. Almost everything has been fixed via what must have been a painstaking remastering process, approved by Wim Wenders, and to be expected from Criterion. Simply super sharp and stunning on a high definition screen.
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