G-11 Reviews

eXistenZ (1999)

keeping it real?

[10 August 1999]

There's no denying that all David Cronenberg's films are a little "odd" but nevertheless the tend to exhibit a powerful, incisive intelligence. Well eXistenZ (sic) is no exception but it is sadly mired in its own pretensions. Apparently Cronenberg insisted that the cast (Jennifer Jason Leigh, Jude Law, Willen Dafoe, Ian Holm) read Kierkegard, Hegel and generally swotted up on their existentialist theory in preparation fot their parts. As we can see then, is indubitable that there are some pretty heavy themes behind the movie but, like the Levellers, they just don't wash. He repeatedly bombards his viewers with The Point in some laughably contrived dialogue which further alienates an already confused average filmviewer (but then D.C.'s film never were targeted at the "average" viewer).

All the classic Cronenberg trademarks are here as well; visceral "body horror", oodles of sexual symbolism and the actors' utter conviction in even the most bizarre dialogue. Sadly, unlike in the even more weird Videodrome, in Cronenberg's eXistenZ amidst its misplaced philosophical rambling and roundabout digs at our increasingly cyber-orientated age, these - usually exciting - aspects of his work just appear..well....silly.

Vaginal holes in people's spines, tiny mutnat amphibians, guns made out of bone that fire human teeth for bullets and lines such as " I have this fear about having my body penetrated...a bioport phobia" are definitely original but ultimately just gimmicks that collapse on themselves because the movie just isn't strong enough to support their surreal silliness. At least with earlier and better works such as Videodrome withs its flesh-gun or Rabid and its armpit penis/barb we have something of substance to uphold the craziness: a world that can absorb such surreality. In eXistenZ all we have is a computer game that, considering its hype, doesn't even look that interesting to play. Give me a text-adventure anyday.

The twists and turns leading up to the end mean nothing because any inteeligent viewer knows we'll never get to "reality". Cronenberg has absolute control and whip away what we think is real in an instant only to usurp with another version, and another ad infinitum. Oh yes, the themes, The POINT is there. We can hardly miss them because D.C. keeps forcing the "Is it reality?" "What is reality?" "Is it a game?" card down out throats, but surely his talent could have incorporated such red-hot potential into a better film.

I have said that David Cronenberg had total control over his alternate reality (the film) at all time. This is true, for he is truly an auteur. Anyone else's "creative input", especially a major studio's, would never have let the film get made, so maximum respect to D.C. for keeping it real......or not as the case maybe.

La Cérémonie (1995)

Pessimistic view of humanity

[10 August 1999]

Claude Chabrol, one of the leading lights of the French New Wave, faded into a series of unimaginative throwaway flicks and obscurity (peppered with moments of worthiness such as Blood Sisters )until storming once again into the limelight with this claustrophobic psycho-thriller adaptation.

Like Heavenly Creatures and Fun this film is anchored around the destructively intense relationship between two female leads: the apparently insipid family housemaid Sophie (Sandra Bonnaire) and the sparky but cumulatively obnoxious postmistress Jeanne (Isabelle Huppert). They both, it transpires, have potentially murderous secrets in their past involving the incineration of unwanted relatives (a child and a father). After a roundabout, deliberately vague "confession" to each other they erupt into childish laughter and it seems their relationship is cemented in their mutual utter lack of remorse.

There is no guilt felt by either woman for any of their crimes be it spite, neglect, theft, opening other's mail, arson or even murder. This is because, primarily though Jeanne's obsessive class angst and Sophie's obsessive paranois, they justify their stance and actions with an "us against them the world" self-righteous fervour. Jeanne describes all her - increasingly erratic - behaviour as "a good deed" and the equaly unstable Sophie believes her.

Every role is acted impeccably by some of the leading lights of French cinema. Along with Bonnaire and Huppert, arguably the best French actresses working today, Jacqueline Bisset plays the bourgeouse lady of the house for whom Jeanne works. She sees herself as a kind and understanding employer, providing glasses and a television for her taciturn domestic. However this gesture is interpreted as patronising by the illiterate Jeanne.

It's through minot details such as this that character exposition arises . The two principals are painted with tiny, finely detailed brushstrokes while everyone around them is painted with broad strokes. This intentional disparity brings us uncomfortably closer to the unhinged worlds of Jeanne and Sophie. Worlds which are revealed slowly, subtly and manipulatively.

La Ceremonie is based of a Ruth Rendell novel, "Judgement in Stone". Rendell is an archetypal British writer and I think that if La Ceremonie was a British film with British actors and a skilful British director it would have been a very different, darker and more disturbing movie. Having said this, Chabrol, with his distinctly French sensibilities and post nouvelle vague expertise brings other qualities to the story and makes this a remarkable film. Chabrol avoided darkness for the sake of it in favour of a highly sophisticated level of characterisation and build-up. The climax, however it was filmed, could never be anything less than shocking.

Ultimately la Ceremonie presents a pessimistic view of humanity: bleak, depressing and disturbing. Even Bisset's family don't come off well with their selfishly consumereist and blinkered middle class lifestyles.This and the high degree of audience manipulation means the film leaves a bad taste in the mouth but there's no denying it's an egregious work of art.

Pump Up the Volume (1990)

Utterly, irritatingly dire. An eminently silly film

[10 August 1999]

This is an eminently silly film. It's only pretension to acting is Slater's ego-strokingly OTT histrionics as he tries to pass off overblown pretentious monologues as (oh-so-heart-rending) teen-angst pseudo philosophy.

The plot is as ridiculous as Slater's lines and arched-eyebrows performance. A misfit young man (who, like the rest of this unlikely suburban high-school populous, is very good looking) moves towns and joins the local school. This immense brat-breeding ground is run by a Draconian headmistress intent on weeding out students who she considers sub-standard (and her standards are high). Slater - the unlikely "misfit" becomes an anonymous pirate radio shock-jock and is quickly elevated to a benign cult hero (take note Cahrles Manson). He is loved by the young and hated by the old, including his totally unobservant, unaware parents who it is clear he will eventually become.

His idolising students at the school rise up at his unwitting command and fight back against a system that didn't really deserve such a fuss being made over it. The kids triumph, DJ Harry Hardon goes mobile to avoid the cops, Slater gets laid and all this to a wicked soundtrack.

Utterly, irritatingly daft, in fact dire. It may have been redeemed as a film if Slater's character was fat, ungly, pimple-riddled and a genuine nerd but his flimsly pretence doesn't fool anyone for a second.

The aptly rebellious songs he plays as his DJ alter ego "Harry Hardon" are pretty good (Leonard Cohen, Sonic Youth, Rollins Band and the Pixies) but a good soundtrack a film doesn't make.

Zombie (1979)

Better than your run of the morgue zombie flick.

[10 August 1999]

Lucio Fulci's zombie classic is probably one of his most technically accomplished - and restrained - films. Especially remembered for its cringeworthy eyeball-puncturing of Olga Karletto - justly famous - justly famous and unjustly cut at both the cinema and on the recently released Vipco video version. The 1minute 50 secs longer version which our sacrosanct moral guardians the BBFC and the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) took offence to was the "STRONG UNCUT" original Vipco release. This was banned with the rest of 'em - 38 in all on the DPP list. I suppose this newly available release is better than nothing for all you zombie-hounds out there.

Four folks end up on the uncharted island of Matoul and only two leave, after seeing their friends and acquaintances become munchies for some smelly green folk and a bunch of 400 year-old conquistadors creepily given a new lease of life. On the side of the living there's a pretty daughter investigating the disappearance of her father, a mad doctor and a go-for-broke journalist. These guys get in some interesting and often exciting scrapes, usually involving a bunch of dead guys. That's pretty much it plot-wise but don't let that put you off. What there is of this movie is acceptably paced and thus more exciting than your run of the morgue italian zombie flick. Some fancy camera work, sleazy Italian electro-pop (from Dardano Sarchetti) and "gorius" set pieces set Zombie Flesheaters a cut -or bite- above the rest. The best set piece involves an enjoyably naked Auretta Gay diving into the deep blue to take some pretty underwater shots, however she's not the only thing with her eye on what's pretty. Before long she gets hit on by a shark then an undersea zombie (popular girl!) She escapes - just - to the boat and her two rivals have a no-holds barred chompathon to the death. Tense stuff! All the more courtesy of some surprisingly good special effects.

The ending, though, is unpopular. It's not as grim as it wants to be and doesn't temper this with and deliberate humour like that other great spaghetti-zombie flick Demons I. However, despite being accused of being "silly" and "lacklustre", I though it was alright. Without giving it away I'll just say I found it's hysterical tone quite endearing.

Scum (1979)

There are only two movies that kept me awake at night

[9/10 · 15 May 1999]

It's true. Only two (or maybe three if you include Don't be Afraid of the Dark when I was *really* young) films have ever got me so scared they kept me awake most of the night. Heavenly Creatures is one and Scum was the first.

I first saw it when I was about ten and it has remained as powerful and disturbing ever since. Carlin played the talented Cockney 'ard man Ray Winstone (who is currently undergoing a well-deserved, long-overdue good run) one of three new recruits to tough borstal, Wormwood Scrubs.

This film is unremittingly bleak, dark and peppered with some of the best lines from British movies of the seventies, equal to Get Carter and The Long Good Friday.

It's key scenes are either oozing with real or implied violence and a sense of threat and murderous potential hang pendulous over the tone of the film until it comes to a head.

The film was so powerful it was apparently instrumental in the dismantling of the vicious borstal system in Britain, a system where often the warders were as dangerous as their charge and nobody was a winner. Archer, the moral mouthpiece of Roy Minton adapted-play script, says as much himself. He and Carlin are the most clued up characters. Alan Clarke (directing)allows us to sympathise with them and even hope for some kind of satisfactory redemption, but that would be a seel-out and little is forthcoming. This is one of the films I will never forget even though at first I wanted to. I've seen it many times now and it still retains its power over the years, over the political and social changes, over the repeated viewings.

White of the Eye (1987)

Now it turns. Now it is looking at her. The Apaches had a name for it. White of the Eye.

[12 August 1998]

The late Donald Cammel, the co-director of performance, brings his talents to his own serial killer script. The plot is basic: a relatively obvious murder whodunnit with overtones of mysticism which don't work. The acting is reasonable; credible but not a stretch but what really makes the film worth watching is the directorial stylistic oddities. This wouldn't be particularly notable were it not for the director's quirkiness. There are some marvelous set-pieces of violence highly reminiscent of the somewhat similarly disturbed Dario Argento (especially the opening murder). The title refers to an old apache legend about the nature of violence and those who look into the abyss of violence and eye close ups (another Argento favorite) are so recurrent throughout the film that they become boring.

The final reel has to be seen to be believed, ranging from classic "Stepfather" (Joe Ruben) scare tactics to an utterly bonkers denouement which, I suppose, is in keeping with the erratic hit and miss mysticism of the film.