Sight and Sound (2002) Greatest Films Club - Page 122

Lew Crippen · 04-17-2008, 08:48 AM

This is a Powell and Pressburger that I have yet to see. It sounds very interesting, but I’m not sure that I’ll have Adam’s perseverance in watching five times.

Adam_S · 04-17-2008, 10:35 AM

I've loved it (a top ten all time film for me) since the first viewing, the trial never bothered me nearly as much as it bothered Brook or Martin.

george kaplan · 04-17-2008, 01:32 PM

I too thought the trial was the weakest part of the film, but it didn't really bother me at all and certainly didn't ruin the film or anything - still a great film and definitely an A, if not an A+

Martin Teller · 04-20-2008, 01:37 AM

#296 - Napoleon

I was a bit wary about getting into a 4-hour silent (I don't know why... I've had pretty good luck with the other ones I've seen) but this one bowled me over instantly. So masterfully filmed, it's mind-blowing. The opening snowball fight scene is so unusual and dynamic, it even looks like a scene from Dog Star Man or something. And the energy, intensity, quality and brilliance never lets up. Gance's command of cinematic language is awe-inspiring. Cross-cutting, rapid editing, flashbacks, superimpositions and of course the magnificent triple-screen ending, he exploits technique to the fullest to enhance his storytelling. And a great story it is, too, with one of history's most fascinating characters (wonderfully portrayed by Albert Dieudonné) at the center. I don't know a lot about French history, and a few times I wasn't too clear on what was going on, but that didn't hinder my enjoyment of this compelling tale, full of drama, intrigue, action, comedy and romance. I really feel like a schmuck for not having seen this sooner. Not just one of the great silents, or one of the great historical epics, but absolutely one of the greatest films I've ever seen. Rating: 10

Martin Teller · 04-22-2008, 12:37 AM

#297 - The Scarlet Empress

I'm finding it harder to write about movies, a sure sign that I need to take a break for a while. Well, I pretty much liked this one. The production design and camerawork were dynamite, lots of clever visual motifs. And Marlene Dietrich was great... for the second half of the movie. She doesn't pull off naive and innocent well at all (I think it's the husky voice that ruins it), but as she gets more and more conniving, the role suits her better. I guess my biggest problem with the film was that I kind of didn't care much about what was going on. I enjoyed the spectacle and the off-kilter weirdness of it, but I wasn't invested at all. But like I said, I probably need to take some time off from movies for a bit. Rating: 7

Martin Teller · 04-24-2008, 11:52 PM

298 - A City of Sadness

I've been thinking about Hou and wondering why I don't like him. I've seen 11 of his films now and there's not a single one I would want to watch again. They're all in that blah, not-bad-not-great 6-to-8 range on the 10-point scale. His movies just seem like a whole lot of nothing to me. This one is about four brothers (actually three, because one is presumed dead) in postwar Taiwan, which is transitioning from Japanese tyranny to Chinese tyranny. Two of the brothers are aspiring gangsters (as is, I think, their father), and the third is a sensitive deaf-mute photographer. As is often the case with his stories, it takes a while to figure out who everyone is and what their relations are to each other. A lot of it centers around the "White Terror" massacre in February 1947 and the ensuing oppression. The movie has been likened to a Taiwanese Godfather, which I guess is reasonable. It does have a kind of epic sweep to it, and plotwise, it's actually pretty substantial for a Hou film. There's certainly a lot of sadness going on... unfortunately, once again it didn't resonate much with me. It has some nice moments, and is perfectly competent filmmaking. I didn't hate watching it. I even cared about some of the characters. But my overall impression is... not-bad-not-great. Rating: 8

#299 - Voyage to Italy

Rossellini is another director who leaves me rather cold. Here's a domestic drama, simple but realistic (except for the unconvincing ending) and well-played by Ingrid Bergman and George Sanders. It's a rocky marriage and the ebb and flow of their interactions rings true. It's somewhat Bergman-esque (Ingmar, that is). Thrown into the mix is an Italian travelogue, which is kind of nice but it's peppered with really, really obvious symbolism. I thought it was a fine movie, well-paced and never tedious, but I don't see what the big deal is. Rating: 7

Martin Teller · 04-26-2008, 12:21 AM

#300 - Salvatore Giuliano

An interesting story, told with some exceptional camerawork. Some of it is really exciting. However, much of it is quite confusing. Surprisingly, the disjointed timeline didn't pose much of a problem, but there are too many characters to keep track of, episodes happening too quickly, and fuzzy, convoluted political elements. I was frequently unclear about what was happening or why. The large cast also hinders one ability to find an entry point to get involved. I couldn't find an emotional center, and usually felt somewhat distant from the events unfolding onscreen. I'm giving this a 7 (a low 7) primarily for the cinematography and a few very gripping scenes, but I wish I had made more of a connection with the subject matter. Rating: 7

44 to go!

Martin Teller · 04-27-2008, 01:26 AM

#301 - ...And Life Goes On

I've already written about the intricate connections between this movie, Where Is My Friend's House? and Through the Olive Trees, so I won't get into the details again. It's a brilliantly self-referential concept. I only wish I had watched them in order. It was fun spotting the connections and recalling things that would be recreated in the third film. I've love to watch the three movies back-to-back. The more Kiarostami I see, the more I like the cut of his jib. I do have to say that if you divorce the film from its meta-narrative role in the trilogy, it could be considered dull (always an issue with Kiarostami). But I wasn't bored by it. There's a lot of human drama here, it just isn't played out with operatic outbursts or grand gestures. Rating: 8

#302 - India Song

Now THIS is boring. Utterly dreadful. If Duras is making some kind of statement about the tedium of the idle rich, then bravo. A lily-white woman hangs out all day at the French embassy in Lahore with her lily-white husband (I think? the story is deliberately obtuse to the point of annoyance) and some more lily-white Europeans that she apparently boffs whenever they ask. We never see any of this alleged boffing, although we do get a 5-minute closeup of Delphine Seyrig's breast, just in case you missed it in one of her other roles. They all look perfectly depressed and bored, but not as bored as I was. No wonder they're so long-faced all the time... they're in the middle of an exotic and fascinating country, but they seem to never leave the grounds of the embassy. Hell, they barely ever leave the drawing room. I think we're meant to learn something about romance, but it's as if it was written by a 15 year-old girl who knows nothing about romance. There's more to being in love that just talking about being in love and how much it tortures your soul. Points for a somewhat original narrative (although it's blatantly influenced by Resnais) and some painterly images (which you will have a LONG time to study), but otherwise a real drag. Rating: 3

Adam_S · 04-27-2008, 03:17 AM

I'm loving your reviews Martin. I plan on mainly finishing the top 100ish of this list, but I think I'll use your reviews to set aside films like India Song from my too watch list.

Lew Crippen · 04-27-2008, 09:30 AM

Indeed—anyone who likes Kiarostami can’t be all bad. Out of those three, I probably like Through the Olive Trees the most, but I am the most emphatic with Where is My Friend’s House?.

Martin Teller · 04-28-2008, 12:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lew Crippen

Indeed—anyone who likes Kiarostami ca