Seth Paxton
Senior HTF Member
- Joined
- Nov 5, 1998
- Messages
- 7,585
It finally opened here. Frankly I was too exhausted at the time to fully appreciate it (going on a few hours sleep at the time).
However, one thing stands out for me. Tykwer's direction is still solid as a rock. I've heard "matured" and others say "RLR was a 1-hit wonder". Neither statement is remotely true IMO.
Certainly going from RLR he seemed to intentionally slow his tempo way down as if to prove himself on Princess/Warrior, but other than that the trademarks of his style still came through. Here again they remain quite evident.
1 - He likes lingering takes. The length of the final shot here is remarkably similar to the final pull-out shot of P/Warrior.
2 - The thoughtful overhead shot of a city, in tone it exists almost identical in P/W as it is used here in Heaven.
3 - Smooth camera movement, often subdued but always with a nice flow (tracking and panning together much of the time) is highly coordinated with the mise-en-scene. In Heaven I can think of one scene where we leave a telephone ringing and slow track and pan to the person we know is going to answer it.
There are other moments that feel quite "Tykwer" in visual style.
It's also quite amazing how much this film fits with his other work, despite it being the script of another filmmaker who might appear to have had different tones to his work.
Once again we have star-crossed lovers who bring luggage to the relationship. Much of the "courting" period is more about sorting out their emotional/moral issues. I couldn't help but be reminded of the couple leaping from the building hand in hand in P/W as I watch the pair here make a mad dash for a helicopter. Certainly the scenes each have that "forget the world we have each other in this moment" emotions to them.
I would not use Run Lola Run as your basis for liking this film. Instead I would consider it much closer in feeling to Princess and the Warrior, though I think RLR and P/W are actually rather close as well.
It's funny to read so many reviews that think Tykwer is all about chance or something ("until now" they say), when to me it felt much more like he used chance in his last 2 films to deliver the stronger message of the lovers coming together.
After all, what would RLR be without those interludes between the lovers discussing their relationship via flashback at the "moments of death"? That's where the real development of character comes from in that film.
Of course in P/W each character's issues are much more in the open and are clearly the central focus of the film, not some sentiment on chance altering their lives.
9 of 10 at this point, only because Tykwer might play it a bit too dry at points. Hard to say though because this film appears to offer a lot more than I was able to walk away with in one sitting. I will say it's not a good film for those low on patience when it comes to soft and slow films.
PS - this film also gave me a strong "1984" vibe. A rendezvous in a forgotten attic, an escape to the countryside, the interrogation. It's not really the 1984 story at all, just something that struck me as similar is all.
However, one thing stands out for me. Tykwer's direction is still solid as a rock. I've heard "matured" and others say "RLR was a 1-hit wonder". Neither statement is remotely true IMO.
Certainly going from RLR he seemed to intentionally slow his tempo way down as if to prove himself on Princess/Warrior, but other than that the trademarks of his style still came through. Here again they remain quite evident.
1 - He likes lingering takes. The length of the final shot here is remarkably similar to the final pull-out shot of P/Warrior.
2 - The thoughtful overhead shot of a city, in tone it exists almost identical in P/W as it is used here in Heaven.
3 - Smooth camera movement, often subdued but always with a nice flow (tracking and panning together much of the time) is highly coordinated with the mise-en-scene. In Heaven I can think of one scene where we leave a telephone ringing and slow track and pan to the person we know is going to answer it.
There are other moments that feel quite "Tykwer" in visual style.
It's also quite amazing how much this film fits with his other work, despite it being the script of another filmmaker who might appear to have had different tones to his work.
Once again we have star-crossed lovers who bring luggage to the relationship. Much of the "courting" period is more about sorting out their emotional/moral issues. I couldn't help but be reminded of the couple leaping from the building hand in hand in P/W as I watch the pair here make a mad dash for a helicopter. Certainly the scenes each have that "forget the world we have each other in this moment" emotions to them.
I would not use Run Lola Run as your basis for liking this film. Instead I would consider it much closer in feeling to Princess and the Warrior, though I think RLR and P/W are actually rather close as well.
It's funny to read so many reviews that think Tykwer is all about chance or something ("until now" they say), when to me it felt much more like he used chance in his last 2 films to deliver the stronger message of the lovers coming together.
After all, what would RLR be without those interludes between the lovers discussing their relationship via flashback at the "moments of death"? That's where the real development of character comes from in that film.
Of course in P/W each character's issues are much more in the open and are clearly the central focus of the film, not some sentiment on chance altering their lives.
9 of 10 at this point, only because Tykwer might play it a bit too dry at points. Hard to say though because this film appears to offer a lot more than I was able to walk away with in one sitting. I will say it's not a good film for those low on patience when it comes to soft and slow films.
PS - this film also gave me a strong "1984" vibe. A rendezvous in a forgotten attic, an escape to the countryside, the interrogation. It's not really the 1984 story at all, just something that struck me as similar is all.