Essie Speaks - mostly about movies - but also of books, countries, life. Mostly movies though :) (Updated every weekend - sunday night latest ^-^)P.S. ALL THE MATERIAL ON THIS SITE IS COPYRIGHTED AND MAY NOT BE REPRODUCED WITHOUT PERMISSION OF ITS WRITER - AND THAT WOULD BE ME!
I'm back and I'm sticking to my resolution of exploring the past of cinema more. The western, one of the oldest genres about, is an excellent place to start.
And I mean I understand if you guys find the films strange and hard to watch. Value judgements and the basic way things and characters are portrayed have changed so much over the years... This is actually one of the reasons I enjoyed watching this week's little number...
I had, I do
believe, made a loose resolution of sorts at the beginning of the year that I
was going to watch a lot more of the old classics this year. I inadvertently
started catching up with this resolution when I purchased True Grit in a
charity shop thinking, for some reason completely incomprehensible to me now,
thought it was something completely different and a lot more recent. I actually
started watching it on my way up to Dream Factory on the train, a rather
fitting return to creative cinematic roots. I really, truly should watch more
westerns. They are the grandparents of so many action films in so many ways…
And damn good fun to boot.
True Grit is
the story of Mattie Ross (Kim Darby). Her family is struck by tragedy when her
beloved father is killed and the scoundrel who killed him runs off with the
family savings. Mattie however, is a strong and resourceful girl – and a true
daddy’s girl to boot. She is not going to let the fact that she is a mere child
stop her avenging her father. She may not be able to chase the man down and
arrest him herself – but she knows to find the man who can! Enter Rooster
Cogburn (John Wayne, who actually won an Academy Award for his performance), a
wily old U.S. Marshal who is both up for and capable of pretty much anything
given the right monetary (and liquid) encouragement. Now, asking Rooster to
track this man down is one thing. Getting him to accept that Mattie will be
coming with him on the journey is another matter altogether. And then there is
the “small” matter of the marshal from Texas who will neither be shaken off
their trail nor take no for an answer who is hunting for the same man for a
completely different set of crimes… Things are about to seriously hot up – old
Rooster’d better have his wits about him!
I have
really mixed emotions about this film on some levels. I mean take Madeline. She
is the typical rather outdated “perfect” heroine with no faults at all. I mean
yeah, I guess it can be counted as at least a stroke of originality that she is
a tom boy. She has short hair like a boy, can ride and use a gun. But as far as
her morals and the way she act goes she is, basically, far too perfect to be
believed. Then again this was 1969 so I guess heroines with realistic character
flaws were rather thin on the ground. It didn’t stop her annoying me all the
way through the film though. You know, in the way you get annoyed with the nerd
in class that constantly gets top marks. And before you berate me for saying
this, back in the day I WAS that nerd. So I actually can say things like that.
And I mean
of course one can’t really go comparing the way things were (or at least the
way they were portrayed) back in the day to these days or you’d just go mad. I
mean for example, call her “baby sister” all the way throughout or not, was I
the only one who got slightly concerned about the “friendship” between Rooster
and Mattie? Oh come on! We live in an age where veteran entertainers who were
the joys of our childhood are accused of child abuse (I don’t want to name
names and go into discussions, UK readers will know what I am talking
about) don’t tell me you didn’t think of
that at all from a 21st century perspective! But then again, I guess
it was a slightly more innocent age when these things – if not uncommon – were definitely
not discussed so much. Plus of course True Grit is very much a family film of
its time. And for all the components of a classic western that it is (It’s a
John Wayne movie for God’s sakes! ) this is very much like the children’s films
of yore where the young heroine (usually of the age of the target audience –
and hand on heart I couldn’t swear to how old Mattie is supposed to be here
although she still lives at home and very much is her father’s baby (as opposed
to a woman of marriageable age) so she can’t be THAT old) completes amazing
feats with the aid of a larger and stronger yet bumbling sidekick. In this case
the amazing Rooster Cogburn who for all his talent and bravado clearly does not
have half Maddie’s skills at planning, foresight and determination and oh,
scandal of scandals; HE DRINKS WISKEY. The horror.
As I write
these I am genuinely not sure if it is my complete desensitization to violence
and “hard hitting” movies that has prompted me but honestly, to me, True Grit
felt like a movie for young adults. I would actually say children but there
adult themes such as death (not least the death of Maddie’s father), drink,
gambling and cheating so maybe not very young children but especially in this
age of smartphones and data overload pre-teens could hack it. Ironically enough
they may even find bits of it naïve. I’m thinking you as an adult will almost
definitely find things to smile knowingly at. But is this a bad thing? Not if
you’re me. It’s definitely one for the fans of John Wayne, westerns and old
movies to gather round. Definitely one to watch with your slightly older kids.
It’s not going to change your world and your philosophy but if you want to
escape the 21st century real world for an hour or two, Rooster
Cogburn is your man!
PS If you watch the film look out for Dennis Hopper in a tiny part as Moon one of the motely gang Mattie and Rooster are chasing!
OK I know that probably "Oh I'm back" doesn't mean much to you at this point. I said that a few weeks ago but failed to materialize. This time I mean it and shall go about proving it with my actions. I have many films under my belt and have plenty to say about every single one.
Now, what do we start with then? As always, the heart. I always start with the heart. This little number wheedled its way into my heart. I'm confident it will do so with yours too. There is something especially cathartic about seing really good things that really happen in real life affirmed on the screen. And I mean this as opposed to a "feel good" movie that furnishes you with rosy and often unrealistic magical solutions. The Perks of Being a Wallflower is that rare beast; a realistic film, applicable to real life and a realistically happy, cathartic ending.
You guys
know by now that I have several very fixed likes when it comes to films. One of
the biggest, as you have also probably figured out, are films with a nice big
fat twist in their tails. It comes from watching far too many movies I guess,
it absolutely delights me if the film throws me a curveball that I don’t see
coming. Conversely, one of my biggest personal joys (and greatest annoyances to
anyone watching a film with me) is making vociferous guesses as to what will
happen next. I am right more often than not (not always, I need to stress, but
often enough) and this makes me happy. But at the same time it annoys me. This
film I definitely did not see coming. I watched the trailer, I made guesses as
to what it could broadly be about. I was partly right. Partly…
The part I
was right about was the fact that this is a coming of age movie. One of the
most adorable examples of the genre at that. It is about a shy freshman at high
school who gets taken under the wings of a rather cool gang of last year students.
And under their rather crazy tutelage he discovers love, sex, drugs, rock’n
roll and many, many other things besides… But see here’s the thing, Patrick and
Sam the inseparable duo who are his main “parents” are not your average teens,
there is a lot going on below the surface that our hero may well be unable to
handle… But then again… Retiring and
introverted as he may seem Charlie is not exactly your average freshman either….
Now we have
all seen enough coming of age movies to know the pattern by now. Hero overcomes
insecurities and with the help of older guides blossoms into adulthood. But
what happens if you set this archetypal story in the real world? Where there
are monsters much, much darker than the fear of never finding a partner that
seemed at one point to be the driving force for so many movies aimed for
teenage girls at one point. This is what this film does ladies and gents. It is
set in the real world where teenagers can be mentally ill. Where terrible
things happen to innocent kids and leave scars that don’t heal for years and
years. Is this a bad thing? Does this make the film depressing to watch?
Actually, no. Because it gives us all, no matter what our age, a message that
we would do well to remember more often. That no matter how terrifying the
monsters, if you have people you love and who love you back (in whatever sense
of the word you like), there is a pretty good chance you will find the strength
to be ok. It is all very well and good seeing this message in a glossy
Hollywood world where you half know everyone’s going to be alright anyway. But
it really hits it home when you come across things that are actually applicable
to the real world.
And one of
the things I liked the most about the film was the fact that although the
greater shock is reserved for the end of the film the dark undertone of the
film starts pretty much as the film itself does and gently bumps are legs and
nips our ankles as we walk through the world of the film. I mean if you thought
the whole thing about mental health was a spoiler you were wrong. We are lead
to understand (though nothing will openly be said until the end) our hero is
mentally troubled literally minutes into the film. But Charlie wants to do his
best to keep his condition a secret and the film makes very little of it too –
at first. But then, despite his most valiant attempts, when his support system
breaks down, well, so does he. You may well see in this a parallelism with the
clingy, almost needy relationships you form as a teenager but I also see in it
the fact that no man is an island. That we must reach out and communicate
because human beings are, at the end of the day pack animals. Social creatures. (SLIGHT SPOILER ALERT, SKIP TO THE NEXT PARAGRAPH NOW IF YOU DON'T WANT IT)I see great truth in Charlie's separation from his new found family
triggering a mental breakdown. I strongly believe this is closer to a lot more
people’s truth than they would like to openly admit.
I say go
and see this film. It’s not a “feel good” movie – its far too close to real
life to be called that. But shall I tell you something? You will feel good in
the end. You will watch real monsters you recognize from real life and watch
them defeated with love and friendship that overrides mistakes, imperfections,
growing pains and a whole host of other things besides… And tell me, what on earth
could be better than that?
And before
we wrap up, kudos to the relatively young but incredibly talented cast for
pulling off such challenging parts! I can well imagine Emma Watson pouncing on
the role of the tortured free spirit Sam the moment she got it as she was understandably
desperate to step away from the part of Hermione Granger. She is clearly going
to be the superstar of her generation – I don’t often get “girl-crush”es but
Emma Watson is the notable exception for me. Another rising star is Ezra Miller
from “We ned to talk about Kevin” fame (I seriously need to see that film,
especially after seeing how good Miller is in this film. I tried to watch this
one on the way back from Japan, which was possibly not the best of timing so to
speak as I fell asleep half way through). Patrick, Miller’s character struggles
with… Well let’s not spoil the surprise. He struggles with growing up, gaining
the acceptance of others and accepting himself. And Ezra Miller brings him to
live with talent that brings one out in goosebumps. Definitely one to look out
for. But the star of the show, our everyman – a true everyman with very real
warts and scars is Charlie – i.e. Logan Lerman. Judging by the fact that his
latest part is in the Noah, one of the latest blockbusters “on the block”
Hollywood has picked up on him too. Trauma, mental illness they are all difficult
to portray at the best of times, Lerman has the added challenge of hinting at
it all through the performance without letting too much go until the big
reveal. He manages the subtleties of the part perfectly and is the main reason
you will well up during the film.
This little
film has sort of leapt into my top ten favorites you guys. I will be watching
and re-watching it. I strongly advice you make the discovery too J
It's a two day event taking place in Liverpool where world-class players of the film industry will be sharing their knowledge and experience - and guess who will be there!!
Fear not, I shall review the screenings (although I will not have time to see them all), soak up the atmos and share my thoughts on this very blog - do stay tuned!
My impressions of Liverpool will also hopefully come into it all at some point - I had always meant for my blog to have a travel element too; let's see if we can work it all in!
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