get low

So, I've seen yet another movie based on the concept of forgiveness, is this something in the cultural zeitgeist that I'm not privy to? Get Low is a nice summer movie (along with Inception) in that its lite fare that whisks you away to another time and place. Specifically Tennessee in the 1930's. The script is loosely based on a true story of a mountain man hermit who held his own funeral before he died. Its a cute concept, they try to add more weight to it by adding a mystery element of what the hermit had done to drive him into seclusion (this is ultimately anti-climatic). What's really great about this movie is the actors. Every principle actor in the movie is stellar and of course Robert Duvall steals the show. I also enjoyed it being a period piece. Maybe because its August in NYC, I enjoyed feeling like I was in the mountains of Tennessee in 1930? Its a sweet story filled with humanity and some lite comedy thanks to Bill Murray.

The Devils

The Devils is a controversial and banned film made by Ken Russell in 1971. Based on the 1952 book The Devils of Loudun by Aldous Huxley, it portrays the rise and fall of respected priest Urbain Grandier in 17th Century France as he is demolished physically, politically, and in the eyes of the public by the hunchbacked, sexually repressed Sister Jeanne (Vanessa Redgrave). Featuring lesbian nun orgies, masturbation, torture, and enemas its still censored and I believe the uncut version is not available on the market. I recently missed a screening at IFC of this wildly interesting film and so am left with youtube clips. I'll be keeping an eye out for the next time its shown.

Broken Embraces

Watched the new Pedro Almodovar film, Broken Embraces. It was very enjoyable (not counting the woman with stinky perfume sitting next to me for over 2 hrs. yuck!) Back when she was trying to be an American star and was dating/married to Tom Cruise (?) I couldn't stand Penelope Cruz, but under Almodovar's loving lens and attention she really shines (although I thought she was good in Vicky Cristina Barcelona also) which is good because Broken Embraces is pretty much all about her. The film is layered with multiple characters and the storyline isn't linear which shouldn't be new to any fan of Almodovar's.

Here's a synopsis from the film's website:

The story of Mateo, Lena, Judit and Ernesto Martel is a story of “amour fou”, dominated by fatality, jealously, the abuse of power, treachery and a guilt complex. A moving and terrible story, the most expressive image of which is the photo of two lovers embracing, torn into a thousand pieces.

"The story of the handful of hope that became a fistful of hell! "

ah, Film Forum. I love that they screen retrospectives. Recently it was Nicholas Ray, one of my favorite directors. Although I have to give credit to MOMA for introducing me to the great director,  I saw In a Lonely Place there when I was in art school and was immediately blown away. This time I went to see Bigger Than Life starring James Mason. Mason's Ed Avery is a hard working school teacher holding down two jobs to make ends meet. Suddenly he's hit with a heart affliction and given a pending death sentence by the doctors, unless, unless he takes this new controversial drug called Cortisone. It comes with severe side effects, and he's warned by his wary doctors to not abuse it. He dismisses them, anxious to get on with his life. At first things go swimmingly well and he's bursting with energy. manically so. Then he starts ranting. and raving. and becoming increasingly crazier. The (frustratingly) submissive wife stands by wringing her hands, desperate that no one find out how out of control her dear, perfect, 1950's husband really is. She hopes if she just closes her eyes and ignores it, it will all go away. Wrong! Instead his downward descent just spirals faster until he decides his child must be sacrificed because he is evil. He locks the wife in a closet while he ascends the stairs, knife in hand, to kill his only child. But! It all ends happily, because that's what the 50's were about. or were they? Nick Ray calls it like he sees it (which is why I admire his work so) exposing the false pretense that apparently so many people lived under at that time. Filmed in 1956, it has painfully outmoded social mores which at points are quite comical, and other times quite frustrating to watch. I think the main theme of the movie is denial. on various levels. 

While I enjoyed the film, it falls lower in my favorites of his movies. # 1 is In a Lonely Place hands down, #2 the fabulous Johnny Guitar starring Joan Crawford in a bizarre western reversal of roles where the women duel and the supposed good guys dress in black. Its also filmed in some super hyper techicolor for extra fun. #3 They Live By Night film noir about a bank robber on the lam with his girl pre-Bonnie and Clyde, #4 On Dangerous Ground about a grizzled, jaded cop who falls in love with a blind woman while working a case, #5 Rebel Without a Cause, and then, so far, Bigger Than Life. Nick Ray's work mainly focuses on the darker, unspoken edges of life, mainly societal behavior. I love it.