pvsp Reviews

Secret Window (2004)

Secret WIndow = Dark Half inverted remake

[4/10 · 21 February 2007]

A good example of the good ole B movie recipe : - Take a major studio who buys anything Stephen King wrote, including whatever his trash bin may contains. - Take a medium budget from the studio. Take a good writer who is able to get something out of the five lines long King story and can also direct a movie for the same price. - Take a movie star who spend too much time in Europe the last years. - shot the thing in Canada to reduce even more the cost - put some sound effect every fiftheen seconds - screen-test it over and over and remove the last remains of quality.

...and you'll get a nice and clean B movie with a wide theatrical release.

Don't mind if it was already shot 15 years earlier on a similar story* wrote by Stephen King, in the same environment, with the same character and pretty much the same story (although the end was the exact opposite) by a George A.Romero in a bad turn of his carrier. Back then the movie was called : The Dark Half (1993) and the leading role was held by Timothy Hutton. Timothy Hutton who happened to be one of the cast of Secret Window ! Is it cynicism or lack of ideas, or both ?

Dillinger Is Dead (1969)

Dillinger vs. Le mépris

[5/10 · 7 February 2007]

First i have to say, I didn't like this movie. Too "sixties" for me. During this years of fear, confusion ans sex liberation there were tons of experimental movies. This is one of them. So, if you like solid scripts and action, get way from this film.

This film is an experience like a David Lynch movie, very hypnotic and seducing if you are caught in it.

It's also a sequel - or a reply - to Jean-Luc Godard's "Le Mepris". First, there's Piccoli (sometimes he's dressed the same as in "Le Mepris") and there are many scenes who work as an echo of Godard's movie (the arguing scene, the jump in the sea...) Like a french critic said "Dillinger" is like "Le Mepris" with Brigitte Bardot on the first floor sleeping.

So, not a film as experimental and "destroy" as it seemed at first look. Unusual for sure but worth a look.

Burnt Out (2005)

Very dull movie - cheap copy of Michael Mann - with no story

[2/10 · 15 March 2006]

Big disappointment to see how french « cinema d'auteur » does not learn anything of his mistakes. "Sauf le Respect que je vous dois" Is a very scholar movie whose only purpose is to show a complete portfolio of the skills the director's pretending to. The main concern of Fabienne Godet is to prove that, with a little more money, she would be able to shoot in every genre. So, the social movie fast turns into a cheap thriller - with an unjustified gore - scene before sliding towards an investigation movie with dull dialogs. I wonder why Olivier Gourmet came into this thing where you can feel the weight of the large crew behind every camera move. Not only the cinematography is awful and the sets too sophisticated for that kind of story, the director seems to have watched over and over Michael Mann's Insider (2000). Despite different stories, you can sense the influence of this particular Michael Mann movie from the very beginning. But, the better, or the worst, is yet to come... In the middle of the film, the director simply uses Lisa Gerrard's music for the Michael Mann movie, presuming the audience is not only blind but also def. One small advice for Fabienne Godet : don't think Michael Mann's movie are only catalogs of great looking images. It's true the man has an awesome talent but he's also working hard on his scripts.

Le coeur des hommes (2003)

Bad script poorly filmed. Great actors thought.

[1/10 · 19 October 2005]

Prototype of the bad films, french can offer this days. The subject about the middle life crisis of urban executives is not only, very "Paris" oriented but also very poorly filmed. Cinematography and editing have no feeling, either of pictures or rhythm. The final product is not even close to the level of an average American TV-movie. Supposed take place in 2003, the film looks like it was made in the eighties. The story take months to start and then years to stop. Characters are very immature and so fr away from the real people they're supposed impersonating. The film is only saved by his lead cast. Bernard Campan is great, again, in an unexpected part. Darmon, Lavoine and Darroussin are, perfect, like always. Too bad, the director didn't take advantage of their work. Even with a weak script like that, Lelouch would have done a great job. It's a shame for french young cinematographers who can't get their projects done. Is this the only kind of films France has to offer nowadays ?

Cutting Moments (1996)

Cutting Moments cuts ?

[10/10 · 24 September 2005]

I've watched this film in French retrospective five years ago. It stayed on my mind for a while. Douglas Buck is a promising director that deserves better than TERROR FIRMER (even if it was a good laugh). CUTTING MOMENTS is an inspiration for many European filmmakers but, strangely or not so strangely, audience is disturbed by this portrait of a normal suburban family. Recently, while in UK I bought the DVD from this underestimated cinema masterpiece. It seems to me that this UK DVD version is censured. Can someone confirm me ? Maybe I'm only another victim of the power of suggestion of this movie But I do remember some real gory plans in the end that are not in the DVD.

Angst (I) (1983)

More than a B-Movie

[7/10 · 3 June 2005]

A very well photographed B-movie who puts the audience inside the mind of a compulsive killer. A strange film halfway between Michael Haneke for the story (I didn't know anything about the film and I thought It was haneke's one) and Stanley Kubrick for the cinematography (many references to "clockwork orange"). Actors performances are incredible considering they are dead half the film and their corpses are pulled and strechted across long single shots. An hypnotic movie with only narrative voice and great moments of cinema (especially the last action scene in the tunnel). One detail of importance : 22 years after the shooting, this film looks like it was shot last month. I wonder what became this director ? Any news ?

L'imprécateur (1977)

an underestimated black comedy about executives

[10/10 · 28 September 2004]

That's a french film hardly known even in France but it's an astounding "avant-garde" dark satire about worldwide company executives.

It's also gathers a great cast : The late Jean Yanne (of one the best french actor of the past thirty years) and Michel Piccoli as the deranged, though respected, big boss of "Rosery and Mitchell's".

On my knowledge, the film was broadcast a few times on french television since his theatrical release. I saw it once in 83 and, recently on the cable. The film was released on VHS in the early eighties. Try to get a copy !

For the record, The film, shot in 1977, opens on a view of the World trade center in NYC and ends the falling down of a big corporation building in Paris.

David

Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004)

An average documentary for people already convinced.

[3 August 2004]

It's an average documentary with deep and powerful moments. Thought, the few funny moments are, I think, more efficients. But, at the end, this one-sided documentary falls into the worst melo-drama instead of really proving something. Yes, of course, War is terrible. It's not what I call a Breaking discovery or a hidden truth, it's a fact. I think the intentions of the filmmaker were honest but I had the impression to only watch, a 2 hours commercial for the democratic party. Let's say it's a film of good willing who want what's best for the general interest. Like dictatures do.

Does this film deserved the "Palme d'or" ? Truly not. It never should have been in competition in the first place : Tarantino (Jury president) and Moore having the same producer ! I think someone should do a documentary about the marketing of this, so-called censured, film in the states and, especially, overseas.

As for the general quality of the work, I regulary watch documentaries on BBC or elsewhere who are masterpieces comparing to this. Farenheit is theorizing on how Bush administration put asleep the American people, but the film is acting with the same mechanic ! Always going on one exclusive direction. It's not even cynical. It's just a thick demonstration for people already convinced.

Under the Cherry Moon (1986)

why people are so cruel with this film ?

[7 August 2003]

People are being unfair with this one. It's a pretty cool comedy. First, It's the best Prince picture (for once, there's a thin plot). Secondly : Cinematography and Music are awesome. Thirdly : Prince's performance in this one, is somekind of medley between Mick Jagger and Charlie Chaplin. The film will probably gets better and better as the years go by.

Don't Look Now (1973)

Watch it now !

[7 August 2003]

Behind this old fahion aspect and a "kind of" romantic venitian story, there's a thrilling movie in the tradition of the Exorcist or Robert Mulligan's "the other". Probably one of the best film by Nicolas Roeg. The end is really scary and you know by watching it that the authors of 'Blair Witch Project" also had.

Distracted (1970)

An underestimated classic !

[6 August 2003]

I wonder why Pierre Richard is so under estimated here in France ? This film, and also "les malheurs d'alfred", are among the ten best french comedies of the last three decades. Despite his 70's look, the movie is still so fresh and actual. Pierre Richard is somewhere between Jacques Tati and Jim Carrey. The soundtrack is also a classic. DAVID, La Rochelle, France

Punishment Park (1971)

A powerful fake documentary

[10/10 · 26 July 2003]

A powerful "real-tv" movie. Very subversive and therefore remaining almost un-broadcasted ! (almost...thanx 2 arte in France). After you've watched this manhunt all movies filmed with the same concept (a documentary team following the events as they arrived) seem so weak.

DAVID