Don’t Come Knocking
Bertolt Brecht (1898-1956), was a German poet and playwright
and his ‘alienation method’ of stage production,
in which audiences were forced by various theatrical devices
to remember that they were after all only watching a play,
has been a great influence on many International film-makers.
Wim Wenders is regarded as one of Germany’s most prominent
film directors, and, all of his movies display an adaptation,
into cinematic language, of Brecht’s theories. Whether
filmed in Europe or America, Wenders’ movies always
reveal a cold, analytical, deconstruction of the movie-making
process. His latest work, ‘Don’t Come Knocking’,
is typical of his style. Based on a short-story by Sam Shepard,
briefly, the movie concerns an aging ‘bad-boy’
cowboy movie-star, who abandons his latest production to go
searching for an illegitimate family he may have sired in
Butte, Montana. Wenders compares and contrasts ‘movie-realism’
with ‘real-life-realism’, and the borders become
increasingly blurred. The movie is full of garish color and
lighting. The composition, staging and framing of each scene
is highly theatrical, and the camera-work is superbly controlled
and calculated. Never for a moment does Wenders allow you
to forget that you are watching a movie, and that the script
is inconsequential to the over all objective of investigating
Semiotic Film Codes and Signs. Wenders’ goal, in his
movies, is to reduce the emotional impact of plot, and to
force the viewer to enjoy the film experience as part of a
cinematic process that should be reflected on, and not indulged.
This particular movie, ‘Don’t Come Knocking’,
allows for plenty of reflection, and, if you are familiar
with Wenders’ style, you are going to find it highly
enjoyable. Sam Shepard is fabulous as the aging cowboy star.
He walks through the movie with a lackadaisical grin, and
each gesture and grimace is intended to trigger a subliminal
‘Mythical Hero’ response. Jessica Lange holds
back her performance, with much restraint, until, close to
the end, when, pushed too far, she lets out thirty years of
repressed anger and resentment in a torrent of rage, directed
at Sam, as they stroll through the strangely deserted streets
of Butte. It is Jessica’s best work for years, but,
you don’t know what to admire most: her amazing acting
in this scene, or the splendid series of tracking-shots and
edits that put the sequence together. Elsewhere, in the movie,
an astounding ‘one-take’, circular, tracking-shot
is a triumph of timing and co-ordination between cameraman,
crew and actors. This is film-making at its very best and
leaves you reeling at Wenders’ depth-of-vision. As one
character in the film comments, “Movies are better than
life”, and, in this film, Wim Wenders more than adequately
demonstrates that point. ‘Don’t Come Knocking’
reconfirms Wenders’ standing and esteem in the cinema.
It is an ‘art-house’ movie, which will have little
commercial appeal, but, if you are up for it, you will get
a lot out of it. Serious cinema buffs should definitely not
miss it.
Prime
Written and directed by Ben Younger, ‘Prime’,
tells the curious tale of what happens when a New York psychologist
becomes unraveled when she discovers that one of her patients,
a recently divorced 37-year-old career woman, is having an
affair with her 23-year-old son. An interesting dilemma for
a psychologist. Set in an Up-Market New York City Jewish enclave,
this romantic-comedy is full of sharp Jewish humor about Chicken
Noodle Soup and Possessive Jewish Mothers. It depends on how
you feel about Jewish Humor whether or not you will like the
show. Meryl Streep is the possessive psychologist Jewish mother.
She has the accent and the mannerisms down to perfection,
but, she is still Meryl Streep underneath it all. It depends
on how you feel about Meryl Streep whether or not you will
like her in the show. Uma Thurman has never looked lovelier,
and she positively glows in the movie, as a woman infatuated
with love again, and the thrill of an attentive young man.
Bryan Greenberg is suitably dumb and hunky as the object of
everyone’s affection. In the Film Industry this type
of movie is referred to as a ‘chick-flick’ or
‘date-movie’ and, as such, it fulfills its function
rather well.
Tristan & Isolde
Okay, you can all relax. This movie is not a version of
Richard Wagner’s opera, but, Kevin Reynolds’ Multi-European
production, ‘Tristan & Isolde’, deals with
the same story. Set in England after the Roman evacuation,
what is left of the British tribes unite under one King to
fend off an Irish invasion. After some skirmishes, a fake
death, a burial at sea, and some other dreary stuff that I
wasn’t too clear about, the Irish Princess Isolde finishes
up in England married to their King, who is the protector
and mentor of her lover, Tristan. From then on a King Arthur,
Guinevere and Lancelot type scenario develops. Maybe both
Legends are based on the same ancient Myth, as they have a
lot in common. Never-the-less, Reynolds’ over-long movie
is nothing more than a ‘blood and gore’ saga which
stars a cast of unknown European actors, and, after one too
many battles, comes to an inevitable tragic ending. I think.
I can’t remember. It’s all a bit of a blur. Anyway,
some ponderous Wagnerian arias would have brightened up the
proceedings considerably.
House of Wax
I was hoping that Jaume Serra’s new version of ‘House
of Wax’ would be some kind of camp remake, and homage,
to Vincent Price’s seminal, 1953, comedy-horror, 3D
cult-classic. But, it isn’t. It’s just another
movie on the same old theme of a ‘weirdo’ who
embalms his victims in wax, and then displays them in his
tatty tourist attraction. Paris Hilton is coming along in
leaps and bounds. She can now walk and talk, hit her mark,
and find her key-light, all-at-the-same-time. Actual acting
though is still well beyond her!
The Honeymooners
I don’t know why I am even bothering to talk about this
movie. I guess I am doing it as a Community Service, and,
to warn you just how appalling it is. Any resemblance to this
movie, ‘The Honeymooners’, and Jackie Gleason’s
classic TV Series, which ran from 1949 till 1954, is purely
accidental. Character names have been maintained, but, The
Honeymooners are now working-class Afro- Americans. Starring
Cedric the Entertainer, he must be the worst example of a
stereotype Black Comedian to yet hit the screen. His ‘shtick’
wouldn’t have passed muster in 1930’s Racist Hollywood,
let alone today. Cedric the Entertainer is embarrassing, and
the less said about him the better. Anyone connected with
this movie should hang their heads in shame.
