Rosemary's Baby

January 15, 2011

Rosemary's Baby (1968) ****1/2
Directed by Roman Polanski

My tweet:

Rosemary's Baby (1968)- Genuinely terrifying and undeniably beautiful. Farrow's fantastic. Few clunky scenes. ****1/2 out of 5

Other thoughts:

What is it about the personification of evil that makes for such terrifying horror films such as The Exorcist and Rosemary's Baby? In a way, the idea that a creature from hell acquires power in this world by taking on human or semi-human form really ought to be so ridiculous that the viewer can easily remove himself or herself from ultimate terror. Yet, these movies really burrow deep in one's psyche. Films like Rosemary's Baby are the ones that have the potential to require me to use a nightlight.

Roman Polanski made his American directorial debut with this wonderfully sinister film. The first hour feels like a French New Wave movie in the vein of Godard's Breathless. There's definitely a European sensibility to Polanski's direction which is understandable. Mia Farrow and John Cassavetes play young newlyweds who move into a gothic apartment in New York previously inhabited by an old woman who recently died. Down the hall live an eccentric elderly couple, played by Sidney Blackmer and Oscar-winner for this film Ruth Gordon, better known to most as Maude from Harold and Maude, who befriend their young neighbors with what seem like good intentions. One night, Farrow's Rosemary has a nightmare in which she's raped by the devil himself. Upon waking up, she realizes that her husband was having marital relations with her at the moment she was dreaming.

Soon after she learns of her pregnancy, strange things start to happen. Her husband has conveniently found success as an actor, and Farrow, who plays Rosemary, constantly feels very sharp pain that her doctor insists will go away very soon. Eventually, with the goading of a recently deceased friend of hers, Rosemary begins to distrust everyone around her, including her husband, her neighbors and her doctor. Perhaps she's suffering from prepartum delusions, or maybe there is a tangible evil that's always nearby.

Mia Farrow, who was known to most at the time as Mrs. Frank Sinatra, gives an amazing performance in a really difficult role. She must be likable, yet cold and distant all at once. For much of the film, Rosemary suffers quite a bit while maintaining a cool demeanor. The final scene, especially, is so over the top that I can't even begin to imagine how Farrow was able to find her motivations. The supporting cast, including Gordon who's always fun to watch on screen even if she really can only play one type of character, does fine work, especially cinema verite pioneer director Cassavetes.

There are a handful of moments that are a bit too contrived to work, so the movie isn't quite a masterpiece. The whole sequence with the anagram from the book makes little sense. Further, Rosemary transitions from slightly anxious to appearing downright psychotic perhaps a little too quickly. The aforementioned climactic sequence goes down as one of the wackiest ever while proving profoundly unsettling at the same time. Perhaps it might have been even better if everything at the end wasn't so staged. The New Wave style is abandoned during the final act when the horror takes full effect, which does invite the viewer to disconnect slightly. If even these freakish moments had been played straightforwardly, the film as a whole might have proven even scarier than it ended up.

Rosemary's Baby isn't just about the ridiculously impossible. It's also a scary metaphor for motherhood. Having never been pregnant myself, I can only begin to imagine the anxieties that go along with bringing another human life to term. It would only be natural to wonder if one's baby is going to be healthy, and what kind of person that baby will grow up to be. Rosemary's horror is shared by all mothers in many different ways. The responsibilities that go along with parenting are enough to make people think twice about having children in the first place. Of course, the decision Rosemary must tackle at the end of the film is beyond any mother's worst fantasies. Still, though, having children can be, among other things, horrifying.

A palpable fear of Satan having tangible power in this world is an irrational one, and yet, as a cinematic theme, it's still as in vogue as it was back in the late 60's and early 70's with films like The Last Exorcism and the upcoming film Priest. Maybe it's the idea of evil itself actually able to reason independently, much like humans, that really gets to people. Rosemary's Baby won't force me to sleep with my light on tonight, but it does make me hope that my dreaming remains at a minimum for quite a while. Also, it might be a good idea for me to take a home pregnancy test, you know, just to be safe.

Four 2010 Documentaries- Joan Rivers, Harlan, Casino Jack, Waking Sleeping Beauty

January 14. 2010

Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work (2010) ***1/2
Directed by Ricki Stern & Anne Sundberg

My tweet:

Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work (2010)- Nothing too novel, but Rivers is a fascinating genius/circus freak. Smart film making. ***1/2 out of 5

Other thoughts:

I love the title of Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work. Here's a woman who can laugh at herself, all while taking her image and legacy way too seriously. At almost 80 years old, Rivers works herself to the bone because she equates work with acceptance and validation. Insecurity has never been this funny, I assure you. It's the irony at play between profound self-loathing and comedy genius that makes a documentary about Joan Rivers so fascinating. With each B-level project Rivers does (Celebrity Apprentice, a one woman stage show in London met with mixed reviews, playing small comedy clubs in parts of the country easily offended by her extreme vulgarity and political incorrectness, a documentary about her life called Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work which she couldn't have known would be as well received as it has been), she seems to do damage to her legacy, which, if she doesn't destroy it completely before she dies, is as a trailblazer for women in comedy. Rivers never quite lets down her guard completely on camera, but we get the sense that she probably doesn't really let her guard down with anyone anyway. She hides her anxieties behind a paradoxically anxious style of joke telling, at which she's so damn good! Rivers is the real deal when it comes to talent, which makes her alarming need for constant public exposure and approval so lamentable. Also take into account the plastic surgery that's alluded to in the title of this film, and we're left with a person we shouldn't love. Yet, we do come to love and respect Joan Rivers by the end because of her singular comic acumen. Stern & Sundberg's film making doesn't really do anything we haven't seen done before just as well in many other biographical documentaries, but they deserve a lot of credit for having the insight to choose the subject of their documentary so perfectly. Rivers is a piece of work indeed, and, like both a sophisticated virtuoso and a carnival freak, it's impossible to look away.

Harlan: In the Shadow of Jew Suss (2010) ****
Directed by Felix Moeller

My tweet:

Harlan: In the Shadow of Jew Suss (2010)- Fascinating doc about a family's Nazi filmmaker patriarch & shame of Nazi descendants. **** of 5

Other thoughts:

Thank goodness I was born into a respectable family. Harlan: In the Shadow of Jew Suss is not just about an unbelievably talented filmmaker who made a handful of brutally racist Nazi propaganda films in Germany, but it's also an examination of the innocent children, step-children, nieces, nephews and grandchildren that had the misfortune of being born into a family with the stench of sin corroding the blood running through their veins. Director Felix Moeller certainly could have made a straightforward documentary about Viet Harlan and the specific legacy of the deplorably anti-Semitic film Jew Suss, but instead he ambitiously broadens the scope of his exploration to include reactions of Harlan's kin, making this a fascinating glimpse into the many Germans still living today who come from families of former Nazis and Nazi sympathizers. I bet Germany can't wait for the day when the Holocaust becomes ancient history. It'll take at least another century or two before that will even begin to reach fruition. Until then, the country simply has to keep its head down and keep plugging ahead, much like the descendants of Viet Harlan. It's fascinating to see the many varying ways the interviewees have chosen to balance condemnation of Harlan's legacy with familial loyalty. Some choose to rationalize Harlan's decisions and outputs, while others coldly condemn him and anyone else in their family even willing to give the man an inch. Of course, most of the dozen or so Harlan relatives, especially the youngest of those interviewed, fall somewhere in between these two extremes, though always with a clear response to the questions posed by the off screen interviewer. Every word uttered shows an internal struggle that's clearly been given a great deal of thought and energy. Harlan: In the Shadow of Jew Suss isn't just a documentary that history or film buffs will enjoy. It's a movie that asks a very challenging question of us all--how much of what happened before we are born are we responsible? Answering, "nothing," is profoundly naive.

Casino Jack and the United States of Money (2010) ***
Directed by Alex Gibney

My tweet:

Casino Jack and the United States of Money (2010)- First half is clear and the overall scope is impressive, but this doc is scattered. ***/5

Other thoughts:

Conservative super-lobbyist Jack Abramoff is the epitome of the type of arrogance that's way too rampant within conservative politics particularly. Liberals believe in personal freedoms; in general, though, they believe that the government needs to be a source of checks and balances so that capitalism doesn't completely leave the poor and middle class without a net. Conservatives in general sort of believe in certain government regulations, though always as a necessary evil. Capitalist liberals don't seen capitalism as the enemy; conservatives too often see the government as a cancer. It's this kind of stuck in the trenches logic that makes militant libertarians convinced that they must do whatever is necessary to fight for freedoms. At one point in this documentary, the fact that Abramoff was the president of the College Republicans is showcased. Perhaps his biggest problem is that he never got over the jejune arrogance that plagues all college students. Gibney's slightly unfocused examination of deceits and manipulations that ultimately lands Abramoff in jail paints a disturbing portrait of a group of men waging a chaotic war on the political left, turning into a slippery slope of injustice with a great deal of casualties exploited because of their financial desperation. Considering that many of the victims of Abramoff and friends have darker skin than they do says something quite loudly about they way they look at the dignity of the human person. Casino Jack and the United States of Money lays out Abramoff's history well until we get to his trial and conviction. Gibney assumes the audience already knows the ultimate outcome inside and out, and therefore, those of us who really aren't all that familiar with the guy are left frustrated that a riveting tale is left unfinished. Overall, though, this man is a living cautionary tale of the type of behavior that results when arrogance is mixed with unprecidented political power, especially for those who hold no elected office. As such, Casino Jack and the United States of Money is an indispensable movie.

Waking Sleeping Beauty (2010) ***1/2
Directed by Don Hahn

My tweet:

Waking Sleeping Beauty (2010)- Turns into gossipy tale of egos, but within, there's fascinating history of Disney's renaissance. ***1/2 of 5

Other thoughts:

Not until Pixar in the 2000s would animation see such a string of critical and box office successes in a row like The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin and The Lion King. These films mark a revival of the virtually dead animation department of Disney studios after the massive disaster of The Black Cauldron and the relative disappointments of The Great Mouse Detective and Oliver and Company. It took Steven Spielberg and Robert Zemeckis collaborating with Disney to make the wonderful movie Who Framed Roger Rabbit? to begin to salvage the greatest studio reputation in the history of the animated film. By the time The Lion King was released, having the moniker of being a Disney animated film became the most profitable thing in all entertainment when one considers merchandising on top of unprecedented box office successes. It took some truly audacious and talented men to carry Disney out of the muck of stagnation into the unsteady and risky world of progress. These men were not only brilliant, but they had egos the size of Alice down the rabbit hole. Waking Sleeping Beauty is a documentary about this great revival of animated films in the late 80s and early 90s, giving as much time to the cattiness of three megalomaniacs as it does to behind the scenes insight into a handful of cinematic masterpieces. The history behind The Little Mermaid especially is really riveting stuff, ending ultimately in the death of musician Howard Menken to AIDS shortly before Beauty and the Beast premiered. It's this type of film history that I crave, and Waking Sleeping Beauty does it well...that is, when it does it at all. Sadly, too often we're subjected to tabloid gossip and conjecture about Jeffrey Katzenberg, Michael Eisner and Roy Disney. All the walls came tumbling down with the notorious resignation of Katzenberg, resulting in business gossip that arguably hasn't been matched since. Sure, their ultimate interpersonal collapse amid studio successes is well told, but as subject matter, it's of a much lesser quality than the timeless classics from that period of Disney cinema. The pettiness and insecurities of a few rich, spoiled executives will be a footnote in history someday soon. The movies they were responsible for will continue to be loved as long as there are children somewhere on this planet. That's where the real story lies.

True Grit

January 9, 2010

True Grit (2010) ***1/2
Directed by Joel & Ethan Coen

My tweet:

True Grit (2010)- Solid story told well, acted well and shot well. Sadly, though, this is a huge step down for the Coens. ***1/2 out of 5

Other thoughts:

I'm conflicted about whether or not it's appropriate to compare this version of True Grit to first of all, the original version, and second, to the Coen Brothers' previous films. I've come to the conclusion that it's okay to mention those other films, but when it comes to True Grit's overall success or failure, I really ought to look at it autonomously. To put it another way--I like the 1969 version of True Grit slightly better than this one, and this is my least favorite Coen Brothers film that I've seen so far. Yet, I don't think I've given any Coen Brothers film I've reviewed on this blog any less than four and a half stars, and the 1969 True Grit received four stars, so there's still quite a bit of room for this film to still be considered a good movie even if it doesn't equal these comparisons.

This time around, the Coens try to remain faithful to the religiosity and the dark humor of the original novel by Charles Portis which was slightly lost in the 1969 film. Both similarly tell the tale of young Mattie Ross, a teenager who is seeking revenge on Tom Chaney, the man who killed her father in a drunken rage and has now escaped to Indian Territory. Far from home, she cleverly acquires the money necessary to hire U.S. Marshall Rooster Cogburn, a one-eyed drunk known for being trigger happy much more than he's known for his people skills. Also pursuing Tom Chaney for his involvement in the murder of a senator is a Texas Ranger named LaBeouf. The three make an unconventional trio as they try and follow the trail of Chaney and his men.

There are a few marginally deep questions about the consequences of choosing violent revenge, but beyond that, there's very little to chew on besides what is ultimately a pretty shallow slice of western pulp entertainment. Wayne made Cogburn into a deeply flawed hero with quite a bit of masculine gravitas, similar to pretty much every other character Wayne tackled. Jeff Bridges makes Rooster much more real, letting the heroics of his actions speak for themselves. Both Wayne and Bridges are equally effective in different ways. However, by the end of the 1969 version, the film completely belongs to John Wayne. This time around, Bridges works well with co-stars Hailee Steinfeld and Matt Damon, ultimately sharing ownership of a tale about relationships as much as it is about action and adventure.

Damon is infinitely more interesting than Glen Campbell, who gave a wet noodle of a performance back in 69. Yet, the break out star of True Grit seems to be young Steinfeld. Many are talking of an Oscar nomination for her role as Mattie Ross. I will say that she's quite a step up from Kim Darby, and she's very good considering her age and the fact that this is her first film role. That being said, she's not as good as Bridges or Damon. Ultimately Mattie is slightly two-dimensional as a character--extremely intelligent and quite confident beyond her years. Steinfeld commands her character's charisma, which is vital considering that she's able to manipulate the adults around her in order to get what she wants. Beyond that, though, there's not much to Steinfeld's performance that really supports the internal struggles of her character at the heart of the conflict within the plot.

The first act is infinitely better than the 1969 version. The Coens consistently cut abruptly in these scenes, providing a forward momentum which seamlessly transitions into the thrust of the adventure that follows. We're not given any more than we need to know, allowing the characters to mount their horses and actually get down to business a lot faster. Roger Deakins once again provides gorgeous cinematography similar to his work in No Country for Old Men. The ending, which is much more faithful to the novel than the 69 version, is certainly interesting, though there's not quite enough deep questions posed before it to really support its philosophical heft.

All of the Coen Brothers films that I've seen have been at least near masterpieces, often hitting many different notes at the same time. They're funny and brutal and challenging at once. True Grit has a few laughs and a few moments of well choreographed violence, but it fails to challenge its audience. This is a well-told, well-directed tale, but beyond that, there's really little else of note. True Grit is a really nice slice of entertainment just as the 1969 version was as well. That one seemed to embrace its superficiality a lot more than this one, which gave it an element of charm that's lacking in the Coens' direction. I don't have a problem with the Coens doing a straightforward film every once in a while, but they're capable of greatness. I suppose it's a little disappointing when they're willing to settle for goodness.

Meet Me in St. Louis

January 9, 2011

Meet Me in St. Louis (1944) ****
Directed by Vincente Minnelli

My tweet:

Meet Me in St. Louis (1944)- Judy Garland's a force of nature in a delightful musical that's perhaps a bit too sweet & sentimental. ****/5

Other thoughts:

Considering that Meet Me in St. Louis is over 65 years old, it's more than a little quaint. Also, the film is a tongue-and-cheek nostalgic tale against the backdrop of the 1904 World's Fair, which makes the quaintness exponentially greater. With songs lyrics like, "Meet me in St. Louis, Louis...I'll be your tootsie, wootsie, wootsie," and, "Clang, clang, clang goes the trolley. Ring, ring, ring goes the bell," it's certainly understandable if modern audiences resist the stench of corn and cheese emanating from what was MGM's biggest box office hit since Gone with the Wind in 1939.

Yet, if one does not disengage altogether, it's pretty easy to be won over by this really lovely little musical about a family very much in love with their home town. Meet Me in St. Louis is a musical for sure, but it doesn't have any show stopping numbers with huge choruses and elaborate choreography. It's quite intimate, which adds to its charm. Had this been a lavish, garish production, it would be all to easy to dismiss it as a total failure considering its overall naivety. The last thing this stuff needs is more bombast.

The idealism of blossoming young romance is balanced against the unconditional love of family quite nicely. The opening scene surprised and delighted me. We're introduced to two women who are passive aggressively trying one up each other making a potful of ketchup. One of these women is the matriarch of the family Anna, played by the great Maltese Falcon femme fatale Mary Astor. The other is the maid named Katie, played by Marjorie Main. Judging this exchange alone, these women seem like they absolutely despise each other, and neither comes across especially warm. What a surprise, therefore, when only a few scenes later, they work together to try and trick the patriarch Alonzo (Leon Ames) into having dinner early so that the oldest daughter Rose (Lucille Bremer) could have the phone in the dining room to herself when her boyfriend in New York calls presumably to propose marriage. Both women are filled with mischievous joy, similar to every other member in this wacky family, especially the youngest, Tootie, played by Margaret O'Brien, who won a special Oscar for best child performance.

Based on the autobiographical book by Sally Benson, Meet Me in St. Louis has its share of bawdiness amongst its buttoned-up humor, similar to a film like The Philadelphia Story. There are many subplots, some of which are downright bizarre, including a Halloween night where children act downright felonious. Young Tootie and her slightly older sister Agnes put a dummy on the trolley tracks (off screen) so that the conductor will think there's a body in the way which causes the trolley to derail completely. Also, Tootie likes to imagine that her dolls are dying of disease and then buries them in the graveyard when they finally lose the will to live. Granted, these are probably recollections of Benson's childhood straight from her book, but they're way too macabre for something that literally looks like the cinematic equivalent of a Norman Rockwell painting.

The main plot surrounds the burgeoning relationship between the Smith's second oldest daughter Esther, played by Judy Garland, and the new neighbor John Truett, played by Tom Drake. Esther manipulates their introduction by having her brother invite John over to their house for a party. It's here that everyone dances to Skip to My Lou and Esther and Tootie sing Under the Bamboo Tree. Esther hopes to see John on their trolley ride into town the next day. At first he doesn't show up, but then everyone sees him running trying to catch up with the trolley already on the move. It's here that Esther sings the iconic The Trolley Song. Eventually, the family plans to move to New York City because of Alonzo's new job. This prompts John to propose to Esther on Christmas Eve, but they soon realize that a long distance relationship simply won't work.

Heartbroken, Esther returns home to find Tootie waiting up for Santa Claus. Sitting on a windowsill Garland sings Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas. If anyone doubts the talent of Judy Garland, simply watch how electrifying she is in this scene. She literally commands the screen with her singing and her slight facial reactions to the lyrics. Beyond The Wizard of Oz and In the Good Old Summertime, I don't think I've seen any other Judy Garland films, but I'm convinced by her performance in Meet Me in St. Louis that she may very well be the most talented musical actress ever to grace the screen. At only 21 years-old, she seems like such an old soul on screen. Her confidence matched with her talent truly gives Meet Me in St. Louis its lifeblood. She elevates an otherwise flimsy film into a dynamic filmgoing experience.

Margaret O'Brien became a breakout star after playing Tootie. Personally, I found her character and her performance downright obnoxious. Further, she's tone deaf. Kids who ham it up on screen are not cute. If anything, they come across spoiled and become unbearable pretty quickly. I couldn't wait for scenes without Tootie. Also, considering that the film is a love letter to St. Louis, the fact that the whole movie was obviously shot on sound stages in Hollywood makes this a pretty lackluster ode to St. Louis. The final scene involving the characters delighting over the glories of St. Louis doesn't work at all. Maybe it might have been outside of the studio system's modus operandi, but we really needed some location shooting within St. Louis itself. Even some kind of Robert Wise-esque helicopter shots of the city might have done this material some good.

Still, people have been eating up this movie for a couple of generations now, and it'll certainly be beloved for quite a long time to come. Meet Me in St. Louis is far from high quality cinema. Yet, despite the free-flowing sap, it's a charming musical trolley ride of a film.