Let me think about... The Fall (2006)

Think I`m going to renew my blog for the upcoming long travel to the UK as we all were asked to keep notes on new vocabulary heard and anything interesting on our way. 
But first things first. And first things are movies!

The end of 2014 brought me a gift of the most striking movie since... I don`t know... Equilibrium or Sleuth (and they both were a shock!) It all started from a little GIF image of a handsome actor taking off his mask. And, gosh, you have to see what it covered! The image was of a Zorro-like bandit, but a bit away from the classical, a bit less... masculine, perhaps. It wasn`t the only me who asked "what was it??! where is it from??!" in the comments. And the answer was "The Fall".



Released in 2006, directed by Tarsem Singh, starring Lee Pace, Catinca Untaru, Leo Bill and many other actors whom you`ve hardly ever seen or heard of before. Lee Pace wasn`t known as Thranduil in The Hobbit then, but the role contributed into him becoming one - the Hobbit director Peter Jackson chose him for the part exactly after he watched The Fall. However the most challenging,I guess, part he played in his career so on was a transgender Calpernia Addams in "Soldier's Girl" (2003). Lee Pace is also described as a very talented theater performer; and certainly my dream will always be to see him on stage.

The story takes place in a hospital, a stunt actor is in bed after an accidental fall from a horse while doing one of the tricks. But that`s not the only trauma he has - a broken heart also. The actress he fell for chose another man, a leading star of a movie they all were making together. For his money and beauty, surely, as what money a crippled stunt man can make? So, he, a man without any desire to live further, meets a running-around the hospital little girl (who, as it turned out, also didn`t have an easy life at all). The two worlds collapse, the man starts his fairy-tale story for the bored little girl, and then an idea comes to him - why not use the story (and the girl) to help him finish his life?



(beware: spoilers)
To say the story is tremendously heartbreaking is to say nothing. Nobody said it is "based on a true story", but you can`t help believing such situation could have happened! And what a life the girl could have if everything ended badly! That`s what left me crying at the end - together with the girl I begged Roy to stay alive! And how beautifuly the worlds of the fictional character and the real one are combined! 

(spolers free area)
And Roy... Oh, I fell in love with Roy, I fell in love with Lee Pace, I started to watch everything he worked for - almost all movies, Wonderfalls, Pushing Daisies (gosh, he is so adorable there!), now Halt and Catch Fire - and just loved every role of those that he took! The movie discovered him for me, and I`m so greatful.

Such a dramatic storyline goes together with an immensly magical picture created by Tarsem. I can`t imagine how much effort it took him to find such beautiful places to shoot all over the world, but it DID worth it! I would really want to rewatch it in a movie theatre now! And I`m really surprised about that none of my friends and relatives loved it (yes, I forced them to watch:)), so it keeps me wondering whether I see a bit more in the movie than some others.



You also probably should know that it was quite hard to work with Catinka - there is even a "spoiled" scene in the final cut, that she refused to remake, but anyway her acting is quite good and believable. Perhaps because she didn`t know that Roy (she didn`t know the real name of the actor) could walk in real life.

I don`t just recommend the movie. The movie is an obligatory MUST WATCH!

Let me think about... Penny Dreadful

Usually rather popular things are thought to have no hidden meaning or rather good things are not popular enough.  I`m going to take sometimes some of them for a discussion.

The Nineteenth - "Do you believe in god?". Review on the "Penny Dreadful" series.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Penny Dreadful seems to be some sort of a reply to American Horror Story of rather a high quality. The action takes place in London, 1890. People in England of Victorian age were full of beliefs and superstitions, which inspired many writers. The darkest ones merge into single entity here. Dark tones, gothic violin, black robes, bloody red drapes, flesh and mud, pain and screams, sex and blood – all of those genuinely recreated atmosphere, perfect for a horror series.

The first episode begins with demons, vampires (here is when many want to stop watching, I guess), Jack the Ripper, then – surprise, surprise – Frankenstein. Those who are aware of the history of British literature, know, that the novel was written a bit earlier (1818), but like AHS, time doesn`t predominate here. The story is changed a bit – it`s a sequel, I can say – but so beautifully conveyed, mostly the tragedy of the Creature and the nature of Dr. Frankenstein, with allusions to Wordsworth and Shakespeare.

 Then comes Dorian Grey, seeking pleasure at the edge between life and death. The actor was well chosen well – a true beauty of sin. Well, generally, actors here make the most of the picture. Eva Green is a gothic princess, who seems to be born for such parts, but you can`t tell for sure whom she plays: a fortuneteller, a sinner, a witch, a sufferer, an obsessed with the devil. Perhaps, the scriptwriters are ready to make her everything that fits. However, Vanessa (Eva Green) and Dorian together convey the tempting devilish beauty of the series.

  



Unlike AHS, that gave many new and old faces a chance to uncover themselves, in Penny Dreadful actors is a mean of attracting the audience. That`s why here are Eva Green, and Josh Hartnett, whom I haven`t seen for a long time, as long as Timothy Dalton and Billy Piper for those, who wants something more serious and dark than Doctor Who. Unlike AHS, where there are no particular characters of literature – they are more like collective images of characters from horror stories of the past. Unlike AHS, there are no breathtaking soundtracks, and the introductive titles include scenes with the characters, which I don`t like (why show me the faces I don`t know yet?). I don`t know what`s become of the characters, but I don`t see the perspective of them changing their roles each season, like in AHS. Finally, when AHS works with the feeling of utter disgust, PD works with the feeling of temptation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Penny Dreadful” was a type of British fiction publication in the 19th century that usually featured lurid serial stories appearing in parts over a number of weeks, each part costing one (old) penny. The penny dreadfuls, named for both their cheap nature, and poor, sensational quality, erupted into existence and met the desires of the poor class. The tricky thing is the Showtime`s “penny dreadfuls” seem to be as cheap (surely I don`t mean money), meaningless and transient, that the series won`t last long. However, isn`t any series nowadays just another penny dreadful`s entertainment for our post-industrial information society?

Let me think about... Now You See Me

Usually rather popular things are thought to have no hidden meaning or rather good things are not popular enough.  I`m going to take sometimes some of them for a discussion.

The Eighteenth - "Look closer". Monologue about the "Now You See Me" movie.

Well, recently I decided to go to the cinema mostly not in order to watch something particular, but just for a company. So, "Now You See Me" was chosen, being the least disappointing among the others. And so it was, but…

Generally speaking, "Now You See Me" resembles quite many movies of this kind, like it consists of their parts, but used them wrong. Just look how it was made here and there.

1. “Now You See Me” VS. “Ocean`s Eleven”

The "Ocean`s Eleven" is not about magicians, but anyway those professionals were not less smart. What does "Ocean`s" present to us? A challenge, an aim for the challenge, the real aim of the challenge, which the main character tends to hide, preparations for the show and the show itself. 

What about "Now You See Me"?

 The first thing we see is the show. It is fascinating, but the following explanation is not satisfying at all. A former magician, whose job is to deprive other magicians of their jobs, explained just the depository and the money things. What is more, explanation of disappearance of the money in France is very doubtful!  

1) How did they make the self-ignitable paper ignite when they wanted to?
2) Why wasn`t the ticket for the show burnt with all of the self-ignitable money, as it was made of an ordinary paper?
3) Finally, considering the point, that drivers in vans are generally complete dummies, where the hell was the security check, when the bloody well-made fake money arrived at the bank?!

Questions like those make the whole story quite improbable.
(Also the 3D projection and light tricks are also improbable.)

Secondly, the reason why the whole story took place seemed to be avoided at all. The Four Horsemen themselves recall it occasionally. To put it more precisely, they recall that they know neither whom they are working for, nor why! The fairy-tale about The Eye is so lame, that I felt, that even the screen writer didn`t know where it went and hide the ending behind mirrors, steam and bright light. 

2. "Now You See Me" VS. "The Prestige"

The greatest thing about "The Prestige" is that the ending is unexpected at all! There were some clues from the beginning of the movie, of course, but you had no idea that everything could turn that way. 

What about "Now You See Me"?

Of course there`s hardly a person who can say he had clues about every little trick in the movie (if he doesn`t lie, of course:)). But, speaking about the plot itself, it is predictable to death. The FBI workers are dummies, the smart guys can`t be caught, one, who died occasionally, can`t be dead (I knew that Jack Wilder was alive), and, finally, the one, who seemed to be tricked most of all, appeared to be the main swindler himself (I began to suspect him in the end). The impression was ruined from the beginning, when we were shown tricks of Henley Reeves (who just couldn`t die there, in no way), Jack Wilder (whom I didn`t believe, because he, being so bad at tricks, couldn`t be chosen) and Merritt McKinney (hypnotists are not magicians at all!)

The very best and the only great moment in the movie was the first trick by J. Daniel Atlas. And that`s not because I like him or something (I`ve seen him only in The Social Network and wasn`t truly amazed), but because that`s the only moment we see a real connection with the audience. You take part in the trick - you choose a card, and finally it`s the one you`ve chosen! Besides, that`s the only trick that remains unexplained:) That`s the moment I`m going to remember.

3. "Now You See Me" VS. “The Illusionist”

The main line of The Illusionist is the love line. It goes through the whole story, and is the main aim of the magician and all of his tricks. 

What about "Now You See Me"?

Even though magic tricks are said to be living true magic, making people believe,  it is hardly the real reason why. The magicians seem only to care about fame, money and some kind of justice. They chase some kind of The Eye, hoping to get some benefits, a fortune probably or a paradise for magician or... God, we`ll never know that!

The love lines in the story are simple, lame and dull. A tension between a magician and former assistant in two dialogs, an office romance, caused by rivalry that couldn`t end in another way but with a kiss - that`s all we got. Well, that`s not the main point of the story (,- the screen writer thought...). 

To conclude that all, neither of the characters were appealing, besides the one of Jesse Eisenberg and the one of Isla Fisher (mostly because she is extremely nice), nor the action was really fascinating. Speaking about Thaddeus Bradley, his character seemed to be a little jealous of magicians, and so he took revenge of them. His only motivation was the money, of course, even though he tried to say something about morality, that he saves the world from all those cheaters. But every magician knows well, that the spectators who watch the show usually want to be cheated on themselves.


I don`t think the movie is worth watching unless you`re a fan of particular actors or like any kind of unmasking, revealing the truth. But be sure, that you won`t get enough.

Let me think about... Django Unchained

Usually rather popular things are thought to have no hidden meaning or rather good things are not popular enough.  I`m going to take sometimes some of them for a discussion.

 The Seventeenth - "It`s All About Slavery!" - Monologue about the "Django Unchained" movie.

"Django" appeared to become the rare movie I was waiting for and chanced to watch it in a movie theatre. Moreover, it became the first movie I watched with subtitles in the movie theatre. And, you know, it was a little unbelievable experience.

I went to watch it with my friend. She is not a Tarantino lover, actually, nevertheless she liked the movie. So... we had some points to think about. Some points, that you may also want to know or think about.

1. "Nigger" is not a funny word.
You may be surprized, but the Russians laughed each time they heared it during the movie. I heared that from bloggers, from my classmate, who laughed himself... I`m sorry about that and don`t understand. "Nigger" was used as a common word for black slaves at those times. Perhaps the actors, who was recorded for the dubbing-in made it sound ridiculous, I don`t know. But that wasn`t a part of the humorous side of the picture.

2. Strange metal collars.
I`ve never seen such ones eather. But serfing the Internet, I found alike. So, they did existed. It seems to me, that they were made different to devise one slaves from the others. Mmm... may be also not to let them lie on smth.

Other examples are here:
http://usslave.blogspot.ru/2011/02/tortures-by-iron-collars-chains-fetters.html
http://usslave.blogspot.ru/2012/05/fabrice-monteiros-amazing-images-of.html

3. A woman among the other trackers.

Right, the one with hat, who followed Django with her eyes in the middle of the movie and was shot in the saloon when standing near the window, and flew into the window. Have you noticed how Quentin noted her? That`s because she is his favorite stunt woman. Her name is Zoe Bell. She is famous for being a stunt woman for Xena (Lucy Lawless) in "Xena: Warrior Princess", for the Bride (Uma Turman) in Kill Bill, also played in his "Death Proof". Documentary "Double Dare" is partly about her. Favotite actress, favorite stunt woman, favorite actor now... so typical of Quentin:)

4. Why did Django kill Lara Lee Candie-Fitzwilly?
It may sound strange, but that appeared to be a mystery for us. The lady almost had nothing to be blamed for in contrast to her brother and the others. So, is it because he intended to kill all of the white in the house? Is it because she had a disgussting affare with her brother? (Yes, she had. The point was shown quited blurred, though.) Too my mind, it seems to be too cruel even for a former black slave.

 Or "Where is my Oscar?!"

I don`t want to write about bloopers. Bloopers in Tarantino movies were caused by his blind desire to make everything perfect and cool:) So, there are some:))

Let me think about... "The Neverending Story"

Usually rather popular things are thought to have no hidden meaning or rather good things are not popular enough.  I`m going to take sometimes some of them for a discussion.

The Sixteenth - "A Beautiful Fairytale"  - Discussion of the "Neverending Story" movie.

 

The movie is the most beautiful fairy tale I`ve ever seen. This one is out of the kind of movies that are memorable from the very first time you`ve seen it. It becomes a part of childhood memories, leaves reflections and makes you cry. One of the most fascinating stories, screened in 1984. Have a chance to watch it till you`re not a grown-up! 

Actually, the movie is based on a novel by a German writer Michael Ende «Die unendliche Geschichte». By the way, the writer rufused to admit the fact that this film refers his book, as it contains too little of it, but he lost the action. Unfortunatelly I still haven`t read it, can`t say whether he is true or not.

The actors who starred in the movie have changed incredibly as a lot of time has passed, and you`re interested how they live now.

Bastian was played by Barret Oliver, he is 39 now.

The Childlike Empress was played by Tami Stronach, now a 40 years old woman, married and have a child. She was 11 when she had stared in "...Story", but after that her parents didn`t allow her to act anymore.

The sweet Atreyu was played by Noah Hathaway, who seems to be the only one who stayed being an actor of the three leading actors. He is also 40 and he is also married:) 

You may see more information here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_NeverEnding_Story_(film)

Make your own Fantasy world out of your fantasy!

Let me think about... "Easy A"

I wanted to write something about this film long ago, but wasn`t sure of my feelings about it. And here it is! I rewatched it! Yeah!

What`s so special about this stupid, banal, disgusting teen comedy? That all these are only rumours! All of the people I compare my marks of films with consider it a rubbish, but the film is just about that - about labels! You see young, unexperienced actors, uncomplicated plot, simple replics in the begining and put a lable "trash" at once! You, guys, obviously underestimate this work.

What things made me infuried? 

1) Amanda Bynes. I hate the way she plays. She just can`t make her comedy character at least pleasant and gives a rate to the movie she works in. As well as Lisa Kudrow, who was terrible here too, she was invited to make fans of Friends and stupid teen series go and watch "Easy A". The movie ridicules that girls who Bynes always play, but unfortunatelly it looks like it all was made on purpose. 

2) Poster. It`s so awful I don`t want to paste it here. 

Why should you watch the movie?

 

1) To wacth incredible (here) Emma Watson! Almost all of the jokes are spoken by her, and they`re natural , really funny, with mimicry and stuff like that. 

2) It shows ideal parents! The ones who cares, who treat everything with a sence of humour, who communicate with their children and don`t make a big deal from a triffle. And who really know their children!

3) It shows real priorities in school. Not making reputation, but studying! Try to analyze and see that similar problems our schools also has. Howhever the movie demonstrate problems only by words of the main character and not the stage scenery: it`s bright and optimistic. Ok.

4) It has links! Classic books, movies of 80s... Ideas and dreams. That what ordinary stupid teen comedy also lacks. We see not only the dreams, but what they`re consist of! "Sixteen candles", "The Breakfast club" are famous, cult movies, as we like to say. I`m sure, we all have such kind of fantasies. 

5) I personally found in Olive something similar to me. Especially those evenings spent singing, dancing and cleaning the flat! That`s exactly like me! I was shocked..:)

Don`t put lables. Judge objectively!

Favorite soundtracks №9. James Bond

As for me, I always thought that every Bond movie has its soundtrack named by the title of the film. I was mistaken. Not only there`re two movies that doesn`t have an intro song, but three others have nothing to do with the title! What happend to well-known British traditionality? By the way even unofficial "Never say never again" (1983) has a song "Never say never again"!

(I thought I`d have to look for videos of every of the sountracks, but this video saved my life)

There`s not the only non-traditional thing. Some songs such as "Live and let die" or "Living daylights" are not like that classical kind of James Bond song like "Goldfinger" or "GoldenEye" or "Diamonds are forever" made in jazz style. In my opinion even though such intro would sound boring, but viewer will still feel that he watches James Bond, not another action movie. Actually, that`s what they tried to do with Adele. Unfortunatelly it hasn`t saved the movie.

I love Wiki for such kind of tables, where you can see brief information about all of the movies. I higlined my favotite soundtracks are highlined purple. 

Film	Year	Score composer	Title song	Composed by	Performed by
Dr. No (soundtrack)	1962	Monty Norman	"James Bond Theme"	Monty Norman	John Barry & Orchestra;Monty Norman
			"Kingston Calypso"		Byron Lee and the Dragonaires
From Russia with Love (soundtrack)	1963	John Barry	"Opening Titles: James Bond Is Back/From Russia with Love/James Bond Theme"	John Barry Lionel Bart Monty Norman	John Barry (title sequence) Matt Monro (vocal version heard in film proper and during closing credits)
Goldfinger (soundtrack)	1964		"Goldfinger"	Leslie Bricusse Anthony Newley John Barry	Shirley Bassey
Thunderball (soundtrack)	1965		"Thunderball"	John Barry Don Black	Tom Jones
You Only Live Twice (soundtrack)	1967		"You Only Live Twice"	Leslie Bricusse John Barry	Nancy Sinatra (charted single is produced byLee Hazlewood and arranged by Billy Strange and in marked contrast to soundtrack version)
On Her Majesty's Secret Service (soundtrack)	1969		"On Her Majesty's Secret Service"	John Barry Hal David	The John Barry Orchestra
			"We Have All the Time in the World" (secondary theme)		Louis Armstrong
Diamonds Are Forever (soundtrack)	1971		"Diamonds Are Forever"	John Barry Don Black	Shirley Bassey
Live and Let Die (soundtrack)	1973	George Martin	"Live and Let Die"	Paul McCartney Linda McCartney	Paul McCartney & Wings
The Man with the Golden Gun (soundtrack)	1974	John Barry	"The Man with the Golden Gun"	John Barry Don Black	Lulu
The Spy Who Loved Me (soundtrack)	1977	Marvin Hamlisch	"Nobody Does It Better"	Marvin Hamlisch Carole Bayer Sager	Carly Simon
Moonraker (soundtrack)	1979	John Barry	"Moonraker"	John Barry Hal David	Shirley Bassey
For Your Eyes Only (soundtrack)	1981	Bill Conti	"For Your Eyes Only"	Bill Conti Michael Leeson	Sheena Easton
Octopussy (soundtrack)	1983	John Barry	"All Time High"	John Barry Tim Rice Stephen Short	Rita Coolidge
A View to a Kill (soundtrack)	1985		"A View to a Kill"	John Barry Duran Duran	Duran Duran
The Living Daylights (soundtrack)	1987		"The Living Daylights"	John Barry Pål Waaktaar	A-ha
Licence to Kill (soundtrack)	1989	Michael Kamen	"Licence to Kill"	Narada Michael Walden Jeffrey Cohen Walter Afanasieff	Gladys Knight
GoldenEye (soundtrack)	1995	Éric Serra	"GoldenEye"	Bono The Edge	Tina Turner
Tomorrow Never Dies (soundtrack)	1997	David Arnold	"Tomorrow Never Dies"	Sheryl Crow Mitchell Froom	Sheryl Crow
The World Is Not Enough (soundtrack)	1999		"The World Is Not Enough"	David Arnold Don Black	Garbage
Die Another Day (soundtrack)	2002		"Die Another Day"	Madonna Mirwais Ahmadzaï	Madonna
Casino Royale (soundtrack)	2006		"You Know My Name"	David Arnold Chris Cornell	Chris Cornell
Quantum of Solace (soundtrack)	2008		"Another Way to Die"	Jack White	Jack White Alicia Keys
Skyfall (soundtrack)	2012	Thomas Newman	"Skyfall"	Adele Paul Epworth	Adele
Spectre (soundtrack)	2015		"Writing's on the Wall"	Sam Smith Jimmy Napes	Sam Smith

Speaking about James Bond itself I consider it huge mass entertaining work such as Harry Potter, Star Trek, Sherlock Holmes. Many people were "grown" on the show, that`s why they associate it with their childhood, but not me. I... ha... I was "grown" on the Charmed:) Please, don`t think bad of me, I live in Russia!

UPD One guy seriously wanted to persuade me that before Sam Smith there was no male performed soundtracks for James Bond. Seriously? For your consideration, see the male performed highlighted blue - there are at least 8 of them by now!

Once again. THERE IS NO such a tradition as only women to perform OST for James Bond.