vic-45 Reviews

Exposed (1983)

Kinski breaks the barrier

[8/10 · 18 March 1999]

There are moments in this film that are so amazing to me. It is hard to describe in words what occurs in this film that I find so striking.

Kinski is sheer brilliance. It is not that she delivers a phenomenal performance but that she seduces the camera without any ego. I have never seen this done before by another actress in the same sense. It is though we were watching a documentary.

The film is an awful mess but at the same time I found it fascinating. The dance Kinski does in her unfurnished apartment has a strong sense of an individual void of the conformity of life. She dances to the beat of her own drum.

There is another scene where Kinski gets out of a cab and falls in the street. She gets up and runs away with a limp in her step. Why I found that intriguing I cannot say. It seemed awkward in an awkward film.

I like it for its foolishness and its attempt of making the world of fashion and terrorism seem romantic.

Kinski breaks the barrier between audience and screen as the magazine Variety stated. It was such a perfect description of her performance. Roger Ebert offers an excellent review on this film and I highly agree with it.

Check it out sometime and see a star at work.

Notorious (1946)

Bergman and Grants chemistry goes unsurpassed

[10/10 · 14 March 1999]

Bergman and Grant are the true romantics of cinema. They move throughout the film as if they were acting naturally toward one another. Hitchcock puts them both in closeups especially the illuminating Bergman, capturing the power of the medium.

When Bergman says "Oh, you love me-you love me" in that wonderful close up I have to think to myself, how much I look forward to becoming a film maker. Why can't Hollywood capture moments like these in today's features?

Note how long the kiss lasts as Bergman and Grant move from the balcony to the living room. The lighting and camera positioning are phenomenal. Do not expect the typical Hitchcock here but then again it is hard to say what a typical Hitchcock is. Each of his films contain so many different elements yet, at the same time possess the true signature of an auteur.

Matewan (1987)

An overlooked masterpiece

[10/10 · 4 March 1999]

Looking back to 1987 I have to wonder why this masterpiece was not nominated for Best Picture. But then again, this is the same institution that voted for films such as Braveheart and Forrest Gump. Is the Academy afraid of John Sayles?

See Matewan for its wonderful portrayal of the events that occurred in West Virginia in the 1920's. See this film for its phenomenal cast. See it for its beautiful cinematography. There is an ethereal glow that envelopes the characters and buildings of Matewan.

There is also an underlying allegorical depiction of Christ and his followers. Chris Cooper is a saint. He reminds me of Gary Cooper a little bit. He has such an unusual handsome face. He is the protagonist joined by James Earl Jones, Mary Mcdonnell, and Will Oldman. Perhaps the most fascinating character is that of the Sheriff portrayed by Strathairn. He is the angel on the black horse who carries with him the wrath of God. Just watch him stand up against the bad guys.

The main antagonistic characters are pure evil. They terrorize the inhabitants of Matewan with juvenile antics.

Please see this film and be prepared to have it imbedded in your mind for the rest of your life. This is what great film making is about

A Room with a View (1985)

A witty delight

[10/10 · 4 March 1999]

What can I say about my favorite film. The first time I saw it I thought it was a laughable bore. However, I grew up a little, got an education and viewed the film again. Let me tell you one thing, if I could live in any film, this would be the one.

To swim in the sacred lake. To venture off to Florence. To play tennis with Freddy, Lucy, and George. To play comical songs on the piano which drives Cecil crazy. To believe not in world sorrow as I play Beethoven. To poke fun at "poor" Charlotte Bartlett.

The adaptation from novel to screen is phenomenal. The Eternal Why. If only I could find such love as George and Lucy. It has been my favorite film for over ten years now. So far there hasn't been a film to knock it off. This film is hard to get in to if you're not used to seeing British flicks but, hang in there and you will see something magical.

The cast is phenomenal. Perhaps the greatest collection of actors to appear together in one film. Just see it for these actors. They all went on to appear in many more popular productions.

Tess (1979)

A hypnotic feast

[10/10 · 3 March 1999]

There are moments in Tess that captivate the senses to a new aesthetic. Polanski does not follow the book exactly and could have inserted more of the elements which drives Tess's down spiral however, what he accomplishes in two and half hours is an amazing contribution to celluloid.

First of all, let it be said that there has never been such a beauty as Kinski to appear on screen. Pauline Kael wrote that Kinski was wrong for the part, "A hothouse flower" I believe were her words yet, Kinski's exotic features are what I believe Thamas Hardy had in mind for Tess. Kinski's full lips biting into the strawberry is truly captivating.

Polanski captures the repression of the fictional Wessex using Geoffrey Unsworth as cinematographer. Together they weave a world of hypnotic beauty. Tess walks amongst the decay of the Victorian age as a symbol of the new woman. She is the sacrifice for the new world.

"TESS" ambles along lazily. It is a perfect film for a rainy day. The images linger on long after you view it. It won Academy Awards for art direction, cinematograhy, and costumes. Recently A&E showed their version of "TESS". Sorry guys, a nice effort but there is no comparison to Polanski's masterpiece. Also, the score is magnificent.

Three Colors: Blue (1993)

One Sunday Morning

[27 February 1999]

One Sunday Morning I awoke on my friend's sofa, feeling a little groggy but, at the same time, pretty mellow. I reached for the remote and channel surfed through the garbage until I came upon the opening credits for "Blue" on Bravo. I watched with pure intrigue for the next two hours. I emerged feeling as though I experienced a new High.

The film is an amazing delight of visuals and sound complemented by the angelic glow of Binoche. Sit down one night or some early morning and view this brilliant film. Perhaps by yourself and see if you experience what I did, for words cannot describe the feeling.