Five Hungarian Holocaust survivors, living in America, remember the awful events of their deportation, imprisonment and the difficult aftermath in deeply moving and disturbing documentary "The Last Days" -- the premiere feature documentary from the Survivors of the Shoah Visual History Foundation.
The October Films release, executive produced by Shoah Foundation founder Steven Spielberg, arrives in theaters just in time to benefit from a possible Oscar nomination. But, like massive project to record the testimonies of thousands of Holocaust survivors, it will be available to present and future generations as an almost unbearably sobering remembrance of this dark chapter in human history.
Directed and edited by James Moll, "The Last Days" focuses on Hungary because it was the last country invaded by Germany and its Jewish population was hurriedly moved to concentration camps in Poland. With the Allies clearly winning the war, the effort to exterminate the Jews was increased. As one participant says, Hitler was determined to not lose the war against the Jews.
We are introduced to five men and women -- U.S. Congressman Tom Lantos, D-Calif., artist Alice Lok Cahana, teacher Renee Firestone, businessman Bill Basch and grandmother Irene Zisblatt -- as they recall their country and lives before the war. Although much of Europe was in flames and death camps were already in operation, the suppression of Jews in Hungary came about slowly -- until Germany invaded.
Moll conducts straightforward interviews, utilizes brutally graphic archival footage and shows the five on their painful return visits to hometowns and the camps. Each one of these remarkable individuals has memories that searingly get under one's skin, even after the numerous outstanding works on the subject.
Take, for example, Zisblatt who was born in Poleno, Czechoslovakia (which was annexed to Hungary in the late 1930s and now is part of Ukraine). Initially relocated to the Munkacs Ghetto -- after a terrifying two weeks hiding in their sealed home -- she and her family were herded into cattle cars and told the train would take them to a rural region to make wine.
Sensing that they were headed toward something far worse than forced labor, Zisblatt's mother gave her a few diamonds to use for food should they be separated. Upon their arrival in Auschwitz their worst nightmares were realized. In an initial strip search, she swallowed the diamonds -- and kept on swallowing and recovering them during her long ordeal. Today, they are a family icon to be passed on to the first daughters of future generations.
Zisblatt in the grips of the horror realized "they" wanted something from her. But she vowed they would never have her soul after taking everything else.
THE LAST DAYS
October Films
Steven Spielberg and Survivors of the Shoah
Visual History Foundation present
A Ken Lipper/June Beallor production
Director-editor: James Moll
Producers: June Beallor, Ken Lipper
Executive producer"Steven Spielberg
Director of photography: Harris Done
Music: Hans Zimmer
Color, black and white/stereo
With: Congressman Tom Lantos, Alice Lok Cahana, Renee Firestone, Bill Basch, Irene Zisblatt
Running time -- 87 minutes
MPAA rating: PG-13...
The October Films release, executive produced by Shoah Foundation founder Steven Spielberg, arrives in theaters just in time to benefit from a possible Oscar nomination. But, like massive project to record the testimonies of thousands of Holocaust survivors, it will be available to present and future generations as an almost unbearably sobering remembrance of this dark chapter in human history.
Directed and edited by James Moll, "The Last Days" focuses on Hungary because it was the last country invaded by Germany and its Jewish population was hurriedly moved to concentration camps in Poland. With the Allies clearly winning the war, the effort to exterminate the Jews was increased. As one participant says, Hitler was determined to not lose the war against the Jews.
We are introduced to five men and women -- U.S. Congressman Tom Lantos, D-Calif., artist Alice Lok Cahana, teacher Renee Firestone, businessman Bill Basch and grandmother Irene Zisblatt -- as they recall their country and lives before the war. Although much of Europe was in flames and death camps were already in operation, the suppression of Jews in Hungary came about slowly -- until Germany invaded.
Moll conducts straightforward interviews, utilizes brutally graphic archival footage and shows the five on their painful return visits to hometowns and the camps. Each one of these remarkable individuals has memories that searingly get under one's skin, even after the numerous outstanding works on the subject.
Take, for example, Zisblatt who was born in Poleno, Czechoslovakia (which was annexed to Hungary in the late 1930s and now is part of Ukraine). Initially relocated to the Munkacs Ghetto -- after a terrifying two weeks hiding in their sealed home -- she and her family were herded into cattle cars and told the train would take them to a rural region to make wine.
Sensing that they were headed toward something far worse than forced labor, Zisblatt's mother gave her a few diamonds to use for food should they be separated. Upon their arrival in Auschwitz their worst nightmares were realized. In an initial strip search, she swallowed the diamonds -- and kept on swallowing and recovering them during her long ordeal. Today, they are a family icon to be passed on to the first daughters of future generations.
Zisblatt in the grips of the horror realized "they" wanted something from her. But she vowed they would never have her soul after taking everything else.
THE LAST DAYS
October Films
Steven Spielberg and Survivors of the Shoah
Visual History Foundation present
A Ken Lipper/June Beallor production
Director-editor: James Moll
Producers: June Beallor, Ken Lipper
Executive producer"Steven Spielberg
Director of photography: Harris Done
Music: Hans Zimmer
Color, black and white/stereo
With: Congressman Tom Lantos, Alice Lok Cahana, Renee Firestone, Bill Basch, Irene Zisblatt
Running time -- 87 minutes
MPAA rating: PG-13...
'The Winter Guest'
By Frank Scheck
MONTREAL -- Alan Rickman's directorial debut is the antithesis of the talented actor's juicy performances in films such as "Robin Hood" and "Die Hard". Solemn and marked by British restraint and understatement, "The Winter Guest" boasts superb acting from the real-life mother-daughter team of Phyllida Law and Emma Thompson.
Unfortunately, it is also extremely slow and contains practically no narrative drive whatsoever. This is the kind of "Masterpiece Theatre"-type effort in which a character's taking a bath serves as a dramatic high point. The film recently was showcased in the official competition at the Montreal World Film Festival, and a commercial release will come this year, courtesy of Fine Line.
"The Winter Guest" is set in a remote seaside town in Scotland during a harsh winter and is filled with a profusion of beautifully photographed images depicting the bleak landscape. They reflect the emotional despair of the film's leading characters, especially Frances Thompson), a photographer who is still grieving over the death of her handsome husband, a man seen in an endless series of photographs draped throughout her house.
The central drama of the film revolves around the prickly relationship between Frances and her elderly mother, Elspeth (Law), who we shortly discover is apparently suffering from the early stages of Alzheimer's disease.
Juxtaposed against their bickering are the doings of several other pairs of characters. They include two elderly women doddering around the town, two young boys engaging in a series of minor misadventures and Frances' son and his new girlfriend.
The film is largely composed of a series of low-key conversations, as the characters wander around one of the more depressing cinematic settings in recent memory.
"The Winter Guest" is subtle and restrained to such a degree that dramatic immediacy is sacrificed, although there are isolated moments that are powerfully moving.
There is no fault to be found in the performances, however: Thompson and Law work beautifully together, and their striking physical resemblance adds much resonance to their characters' interactions. The rest of the cast is equally effective, with particularly sterling work coming from young Douglas Murphy and Sean Biggerstaff as the rambunctious boys.
The film certainly looks beautiful, with Rickman getting the maximum dramatic mileage out of the wintry setting. Sometimes, too much mileage: Like many first-time directors, he betrays an overreliance on helicopter shots and lingering landscape views to create a bit of atmosphere.
THE WINTER GUEST
Fine Line Features
Director Alan Rickman
Screenwriters Alan Rickman,
Sharman Macdonald
Producers Ken Lipper,
Edward R. Pressman, Steve Clark-Hall
Director of photography Seamus McGarvey
Editor Scott Thomas
Composer Michael Kamen
Color/stereo
Cast:
Elspeth Phyllida Law
Frances Emma Thompson
Alex Gary Hollywood
Nita Arlene Cockburn
Lily Sheila Reid
Chloe Sandra Voe
Sam Douglas Murphy
Tom Sean Biggerstaff
Running time -- 110 minutes
No MPAA rating...
By Frank Scheck
MONTREAL -- Alan Rickman's directorial debut is the antithesis of the talented actor's juicy performances in films such as "Robin Hood" and "Die Hard". Solemn and marked by British restraint and understatement, "The Winter Guest" boasts superb acting from the real-life mother-daughter team of Phyllida Law and Emma Thompson.
Unfortunately, it is also extremely slow and contains practically no narrative drive whatsoever. This is the kind of "Masterpiece Theatre"-type effort in which a character's taking a bath serves as a dramatic high point. The film recently was showcased in the official competition at the Montreal World Film Festival, and a commercial release will come this year, courtesy of Fine Line.
"The Winter Guest" is set in a remote seaside town in Scotland during a harsh winter and is filled with a profusion of beautifully photographed images depicting the bleak landscape. They reflect the emotional despair of the film's leading characters, especially Frances Thompson), a photographer who is still grieving over the death of her handsome husband, a man seen in an endless series of photographs draped throughout her house.
The central drama of the film revolves around the prickly relationship between Frances and her elderly mother, Elspeth (Law), who we shortly discover is apparently suffering from the early stages of Alzheimer's disease.
Juxtaposed against their bickering are the doings of several other pairs of characters. They include two elderly women doddering around the town, two young boys engaging in a series of minor misadventures and Frances' son and his new girlfriend.
The film is largely composed of a series of low-key conversations, as the characters wander around one of the more depressing cinematic settings in recent memory.
"The Winter Guest" is subtle and restrained to such a degree that dramatic immediacy is sacrificed, although there are isolated moments that are powerfully moving.
There is no fault to be found in the performances, however: Thompson and Law work beautifully together, and their striking physical resemblance adds much resonance to their characters' interactions. The rest of the cast is equally effective, with particularly sterling work coming from young Douglas Murphy and Sean Biggerstaff as the rambunctious boys.
The film certainly looks beautiful, with Rickman getting the maximum dramatic mileage out of the wintry setting. Sometimes, too much mileage: Like many first-time directors, he betrays an overreliance on helicopter shots and lingering landscape views to create a bit of atmosphere.
THE WINTER GUEST
Fine Line Features
Director Alan Rickman
Screenwriters Alan Rickman,
Sharman Macdonald
Producers Ken Lipper,
Edward R. Pressman, Steve Clark-Hall
Director of photography Seamus McGarvey
Editor Scott Thomas
Composer Michael Kamen
Color/stereo
Cast:
Elspeth Phyllida Law
Frances Emma Thompson
Alex Gary Hollywood
Nita Arlene Cockburn
Lily Sheila Reid
Chloe Sandra Voe
Sam Douglas Murphy
Tom Sean Biggerstaff
Running time -- 110 minutes
No MPAA rating...
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