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Reviews
Nuovo Cinema Paradiso (1988)
"Life is not what you see in films", 'Cinema Paradiso' - Review/Analysis
'Cinema Paradiso' is a cinematic delight. It's very true that if you love cinema, you will simply adore this. This is a film in which Giuseppe Tornatore was able to express his particular love for cinema. This love not only corresponds with spectators who share a passion for films nowadays but for the Italians in 'Cinema Paradiso' and millions of others globally during WWII. Yes, cinema is entertainment, but during wartime it was a means of necessary escapism - seeking the thrills and spills of the big screen and for a moment of time just forgetting the horrors of distant warfare.
One of the first shots of the film is of a middle-aged man. This man is Salvatore (played by Jacques Perrin) who's wife has just informed him of the death of someone named Alfredo. After this name is mentioned, the camera slowly dollies towards a disheartened Salvatore. Clearly Alfredo was a man of great importance. Through this opening scene, Tornatore immediately sets up the importance of memory and nostalgia as we are essentially thrusted into the memories of an older Salvatore to learn of his past, from a young boy into a man. Events play out through this flashback. The story follows a young Salvatore or rather 'Toto' who works for a village priest, often distracted by the enthrals of the local cinema and along with it, Alfredo the projectionist. Toto is a cheeky young boy who from the beginning can be seen giggling at the enforcement of film censorship by the priest who rings his bell during any scenes of embrace or sexual hints. This is much like the Hays Code which was put in place from the early 30s to the 60s, placing regulations on things such as profanity or sexual scenes in Hollywood films. We aren't initially told when the film is set but with the use of mise-en-scene (props) such as film posters of Casablanca, we can gage and idea for the film's time period. This was something that really drew me in, how the film is essentially a drama but with an historical outlook as well.
Over time we learn of Toto's infatuation with the projection room and Alfredo. Without a father, Toto seeks paternal care from Alfredo and dreams of following in his footsteps. But one shot sums up the job of a projectionist where Alfredo is framed inside the projection room, cut off from everyone else, a lonely life to lead. "You work like a slave, always alone." Over the course of the film's first act, the relationship between Toto and Alfredo blossoms into something special, especially as Toto is taken under the wing of Alfredo in learning to become a projectionist. This relationship is kindled even further following a fire at the cinema which causes Alfredo to become blind, bringing Toto even closer to him, acting as his carer at times.
Over the course of the film, we see a huge variety of films being shown at the local cinema. This really intrigued me, seeing Hollywood blockbusters from a foreign perspective such as John Ford's western - Stagecoach. Tornatore also explores the expansive enjoyment of silent cinema, how the slapstick comedies of Charlie Chaplin made people laugh all around the world. Silent films were accessible to all, perhaps this is why Hitchcock described silent films as "the purest form of cinema".
During the early 40s there was a huge boom in popularity for cinemas. After the construction of the new 'Cinema Paradiso' (following the demise of the previous one), audiences are even more delighted. The males in particular are extremely excited by the prospect of kissing scenes. As Toto grows up, now in his teen years, of course the world of cinema also starts to mature with films now shown in colour. Toto's life soon starts to change when he falls for Elena, the new girl of the village. But Toto is soon advised by Alfredo that "life is not what you see in films" and forces him to go and make a name for himself. These events in flashback form are occasionally intercut with close ups of the older Salvatore who looks back on his life's memories, the decisions he's made. Were they right or wrong?
'Cinema Paradiso' is ultimately made up of 3 acts: Toto's life as a boy, Toto during his adolescent years and a much older Toto who returns to his home town for the funeral of his father figure Alfredo. It's this final act which I felt really connected with. Salvatore returns to his home town of Giancaldo to find that much has changed. We often look back on things with rose coloured spectacles but in reality, Toto finds that much has changed - its buildings, the people, all of it. The cinema where Toto spent much of his youth is eventually destroyed to make way for a car park. In fact the whole town has been overtaken by the clasp of commercialism with billboards surrounding the square. This ending strongly implies how nostalgia can be a scary thing, the difference between appearance and reality. People can remain (such as the familiar faces of Giancaldo) but as we age, so do the things around us. Tornatore definitely highlights how important cinemas are, sacred palaces of dark and light. Despite the evolution of DVDs and streaming platforms like Netflix nowadays, we should always look to cinemas as a place of viewing films properly.
Overall, 'Cinema Paradiso' is a beautifully constructed film with a beautiful message at its heart. One thing that I've completely forgotten to mention is the brilliant soundtrack by the masterful Ennio Morricone which certainly adds to the emotional heights of the film. Scenes between Alfredo and the young Toto are heart-warming to watch and the acting is consistently strong throughout. I also thought that the combined messages of nostalgia, growing up and a passion for film were something that I particularly related with. A loving film which makes you love the world of cinema even more!
Frances Ha (2012)
"I'm not a real person yet." - Frances Ha, Review and Analysis
Compared to some of Baumbach's other films, this is a really charming one. From the opening shots alone, we see a montage of living the big city life as Frances and her friend Sophie travel here and there, the best of friends. The significance of friendship itself is very reminiscent throughout and was certainly one of my takeaways from the film.
In 'Frances Ha', Frances (played by Greta Gerwig) has aspirations of becoming a successful dancer and joining a renowned company, she lives with her best friend Sophie who both seem to get on like a house on fire. The reason that this film works so well is that the star of the show, Greta Gerwig, is really brilliant at playing a supposed adult who is still 'young at heart'. When watching the film, I thought the idea of age was a debate that Baumbach was really trying (and succeeding) to get across - when do we officially reach adulthood? What makes us mature? I'd say that Frances is having this constant struggle with herself as those around her seem to be maturing at a much quicker pace; getting pregnant, having relationships and more stable jobs. Frances even returns to her college at one point as a means of making money but returning to her place of childhood can show how she's still grappling with her youthful personality.
This film also has some very funny moments, one being a scene where Frances attempts to pay for dinner by spanning the lengths of the 'Big Apple' to find a cash machine. Along with Baumbach's really fun soundtrack throughout, this makes for a particularly entertaining watch.
The idea of friendship pops up again and again. Frances surrounds herself with similar minded people such as Lev (played by Adam Driver who has made many excellent performances in indie as well as mainstream films) and Benji. The life of these arty folks is a very cultural one, there are discussions of movie going, music, drinking, reading Proust, buying art. Money troubles are also another repeated consequence for Frances but her friends are there to help out, she even rightly describes her flat-sharing situation "like a sitcom" at one point. Friendship can also however come with jealousy and when Sophie becomes more attached to Patch instead of Frances, there is indeed a touch of the green-eyed monster. But Frances soon has to accept these changes in order to become a better person. And real friends that you can count on like Sophie will be there for you, even when you can't always see them. There is also a dichotomy expressed between friends and family. Most of the time our friends are our family and our family can be our friends so there is a strong link between these two.
I'd say that Baumbach has been particularly inspired by the director Woody Allen who similarly has motifs of troubling relationships between friends and family throughout his films, with dialogue that is filled with cultural references and whether in places like New York we can make a name for ourselves. 'Frances Ha' even has a similar black and white aesthetic to Manhattan.
The ending of the film is really exuberant and heart-warming, Frances has finally found her way into the world of dance as a living but a slightly different one. At the end of her choreographed performance, she looks over at Sophie - "That's Sophie, she's my best friend". We find that Frances has adapted to the changes in her life and has held on to one of the most important things that we all seek to retain. Friendship.
Peeping Tom (1960)
"The walls are closing in" - Peeping Tom, review and analysis
Despite being made 60 years ago, 'Peeping Tom' is as prevalent nowadays than ever before. Like Mark Lewis, the protagonist, we all have an addiction to viewing things, whether that be looking at our phones or TVs, binge-watching various films and series. Viewing can be regarded as an addiction in this day and age. The central idea to 'Peeping Tom' is scopophilia or voyeurism, the love of looking. As the story unfolds, we learn that for Mark, this scopophilia is more of a condition, a potential hereditary illness that he was once subjected to and is now carrying out in place of his father by murdering women in order to document their fear. Director Michael Powell challenged audience expectations by showing how our privacy can be breached through the use of cameras. As a result, audiences feared this. The film was a huge box office failure, essentially ruining the career of a filmmaker who had been loved for his collaborations with Emeric Pressburger throughout the years.
Mark Lewis is a serial killer but his shy nature almost makes us feel sorry for him. The use of subjective camerawork right from the beginning aligns us with Mark as we ARE the camera, looking through his lens of the woman he approaches. This is a really interesting way of viewing the film a bit differently and the use of Eastmancolor gives a very aesthetically pleasing look to the film. Right from the offset we see Mark with his camera, he always has it by his side. The use of foley exaggerates the cogs of the whirring camera, portraying how him and the camera are one. Later on in the film, Mark is questioned by the police following the murder of Vivian - "Anyone with you? No sir, just my camera." The fact that Mark seems to even personify his camera shows how much it means to him, almost someone, not something. Whilst documenting the activities of the police after his committed murder, Mark claims he's working for 'The Observer', yet another indication of the significance of looking and what bystanders can perceive. During these various murders, Chief Inspector Gregg remarks on how they are a new kind of terror, therefore bringing in the idea of how evolving technology such as cameras were changing the shape of media and still are today.
The character of Helen, who is one of Mark's tenants and lives below him, brings forth internal conflict for the protagonist who jostles with trying to create the perfect film by continuing his murders or perhaps falling in love. When Helen picks up his camera, Mark even snatches it away from her, not wanting it to take control of her as well. Whilst watching this, I thought the sudden mood swings of Mark during his encounters with Helen to be perhaps weaker acting but maybe this is just Mark's contrasting ego trying to force its way through. Perhaps one of the best scenes in the film is where Mark meets Helen's mother in his studio. Helen's mother is blind but her hearing senses have been heightened, making for an interesting parallel, a metaphorical battle between what we see vs what we hear, what's more important to us? When Helen's mother bids farewell, she runs her hand over Mark's face, making a mental picture. Whereas Mark obviously uses his sight to capture still images through his camera.
At the end of the film, Mark explains to Helen how he was able to capture such fear in the expressions of his victims, by use of a mirror to show the victim itself how scared they were - "The most frightening thing in the world is fear".
Having only discovered the films of Powell and Pressburger (The Archers) a couple of years ago, I've come to really like the 'Britishness' of their magical films. So, when I came across 'Peeping Tom', I knew I had to watch it and it didn't disappoint. Like many of his earlier films, Powell addresses ideas that we often question and I found the central idea of the importance of sight to be a really engaging and thought-provoking one.
Raging Bull (1980)
An exploration of male animalistic rage - Review and Analysis
'Raging Bull' is a very aptly named title for this Scorsese masterpiece. Throughout the film, we grow more and more accustomed to the animalistic anger of Jake La Motta and how his life outside of boxing is still an extenuation of anger and violence. From the first scene alone, there are connotations of animals in general. We meet a power-hungry young boxer who dreams of being on the big stage, wearing an almost leopard print skin robe, he seeks to be the alpha lion of the ring. The boxing ring itself is almost like an animal pen, chucking two males straight into its depths and culminating in a survival of the fittest. At home, someone even shouts from the streets "you're an animal!" to the young champion who is busy dictating his wife on how his steak should be cooked. It's this scene where Jake is depicted as a ruthless animal while his wife is presented as a stereotypical housewife of the 40s, cooking in the kitchen for the man of the house. But saying this, the idea of male dominance and the submissive nature of women seems to be present in a majority of Scorsese's other films such as Goodfellas (1990) as well as The Wolf of Wall Street (2013). In Raging Bull, this male toxication can be seen as a social message, perhaps what not to do as a man? Robert De Niro once again shines during his 4th collaboration with Scorsese and the brilliant ferocity that De Niro brings to the character of Jake la Motta makes you detest and despise him even more.
There are also many contrasts displayed throughout the film: Salvy and his businessmen are continuously shot through the use of slow-motion, creating a divide between how they are able to bathe in their daily luxuries. But we also often see this slow-mo through the perspective of La Motta who clearly resents them and how Vickie associates herself with them.
The black and white aesthetic of the film helps to relate more to the period of the 1940s to 60s but also demonstrates Scorsese's love of cinema, perhaps making a connection to the realist French New Wave of the 1960s and its profound use of b and w. The masterful director also drew inspiration from one film in particular, The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp (1943), which follows a British soldier Clive Candy and his friendship with a German, Theo Kretschmar-Schuldorff, over a period of 40 years. Similar to Raging Bull, Scorsese focuses on the transformation of one man by using make-up effects like Powell and Pressburger's masterpiece to age and transform the central character. In the build up to La Motta's fight for Middleweight Champion vs Marcel Cerdan, we see the preparation that La Motta goes through to psyche himself up through a long tracking shot. As Scorsese said during an interview with the Criterion Collection - "The shot is directly inspired by a long lead-up to the duel in the Life and Death of Colonel Blimp." What's really clever is how Scorsese takes this idea but makes it his own rather than directly copying it.
This is also a film that conveys all aspects of becoming a rising star, Joe Pesci's character Joey at one point says "he thinks he can make it on his own" and for La Motta, the fact that he does, brings with it arrogance. In the final fight against Robinson, La Motta doesn't think he's being challenged enough and refuses to be knocked down. The use of a dolly zoom in this scene draws us into the insanity of Motta who is depicted as 'sick', enduring more and more hurt. Each fight scene offers something new technically, the ending fight uses subjective camerawork, portraying La Motta literally punching at the camera, therefore attacking us as an audience and making him even more of an unlikeable character. At the end of the film, we see a retired La Motta, frolicking with other women at his bar behind Vickie's back (the very thing he despised Vickie doing) and ending up in prison, wallowing in his solitude. Very much a deserved end for La Motta and very much satisfactory for the audience.
Raging Bull is a brilliantly acted film, with fantastic fast-paced and jump cut editing by Thelma Schoonmaker during the fight scenes and a film that has an intriguing character arc and focus. Definitely a film which makes you reflect on how men and women interact in relationships behind the scenes.
Paterson (2016)
"Without love, what reason is there for anything?". Paterson - Analysis and Review
Paterson is a film that reflects upon the banality of daily life while also considering all of its aspects: love, relationships, our dreams and desires, the kindness of strangers, routine, identity, change (you get the gist).
Paterson (a nicely subtle performance from Adam Driver) leads an ordinary life; he lives with his wife Laura who is supportive of his daily poetry, wanting him to pursue it further and become one of the greats like William Carlos Williams, a renowned poet from Paterson, New Jersey. This is a significant theme in the film - how can we make a name for ourselves? Can our dreams become a reality? This idea is displayed through Laura (Golshifteh Farahani) who has dreams of becoming a country singer, she's a very artistic individual who paints curtains, dresses, furniture, only in black and white. This 'black and white' can be seen throughout (the old black and white film that Laura and Paterson go to see, the chess board that Doc keeps on the bar, b and w photographs of those who rose to fame from Paterson like Lou Costello) and is also idiomatic for Paterson's ordinary, simplistic life - he wakes up, goes to work, comes home for dinner and then walks the dog to a nearby bar that he visits. This neon-lit bar provides a seemingly small escape for him. The bartender 'Doc' is ironically named as Paterson's regular pint seems to be a cure for whatever troubles the day presented him with (such as his coach breaking down at one point).
This is a film about poetry, but not just writing it, the poetics of day-to-day life as well. As a coach driver, Paterson sees a lot of different people come and go. Whilst driving his coach, he likes to listen in on people's conversations, tuning in to his passenger's anecdotes as a source of entertainment. Various close-ups on the coach throughout the film display a motif of shoes, can someone's shoes tell us more about their personality or identity?
You can't help but align yourself with Paterson, who, with his various poems that are displayed on-screen, considers all concerns of general life that affect us all. One of his poems looks at time - "a fourth dimension" - and the constant checking of his watch is just like any other working-class individual, they wish the day to be over so that they can return home to their loved ones. Despite a very heart-warming relationship between Laura and Paterson, who always wake up embraced in each other's arms, there is perhaps a divide portrayed between those who 'bring home the bacon' and those who are lucky enough to stay at home and carry out their hobbies freely, like Laura.
Some characters can even be seen as metaphorical for what the day can bring us. The character of Donny seems to always have a lot of issues on his plate whilst the end encounter with a Japanese poet perhaps symbolises the moments in life where we are given another chance (for Paterson, this is a revived interest in writing poetry after being gifted a new book, following an upset where Marvin the dog had ripped up Paterson's 'Secret Notebook').
I found this film a really relaxing and interesting watch and despite not being a follower of poetry, I thought the various snippets of Paterson's life were very relatable. The mundanity of Paterson's life might appear boring to some viewers but as the film isn't plot-heavy, I found myself focusing in on the finer details of what Paterson sees in his life and what these might represent. What really interested me was the discussion between Doc and Paterson, deciding who is the most famous person to come out of the city of Paterson, bringing in the notion of identity and our origins.
The film is also very poetically made, realistic cinematography showcases repeated and identical shots of Laura and Paterson waking up throughout the singular week, acting as a leitmotif for how we all get into certain routines.
Paterson. P for peaceful.