AND LASTLY A CLASSIC : "A FAREWELL TO ARMS"

I wondered for a while what I should do with this film. I mean watch it, obviously, but where to put the review? Adaptation? War Film? Although Hemmingway’s classic is by no means to be sneezed at, the presence of the First World War in the film is, well… Great. On the other hand, it is basically a love story. It doesn’t handle the war itself that much. I mean it does, but sort of, as a backdrop. There are clear mentions of the horrors of war (being in a field hospital and all) but they are not our “main concerns”. Then there is the autobiography side of things, Hemmingway, like the hero of the book / film was an ambulance driver in the First World War and thus the book is assumed to be quite autobiographical – wait, should it be under “true story” then? But then again how autobiographical is it really? Are you beginning to see my dilemma? Then I finally reached a solution. Would this great love story be possible without the presence of war? No. Then the war is a major catalyst of the film. War film it is.
So, having got over that little quandary, on with the story. Frederic (Gary Cooper) is an ambulance driver in Italy during the First World War. He arrives at a small hospital in Italy to find two things. First, a very old friend of his as the doctor in charge, secondly, one of the most beautiful women he has ever seen (Helen Hayes) as one of the nurses. Frederic is bowled over by her, and his feelings are by no means unreciprocated. But there are complications… Quite apart from the dangers inherent to their jobs and the war, there is a third party also interested in ?? and who cannot “give her up” to Frederic… Will true love triumph? Or will the war consume the star-crossed lovers as well?
Mom and I watched the film together. As the film ended and we both dabbed our eyes and blew our noses Mom turned round to me and said “Of course, it’s so romantic you can’t really take it seriously.” Yeah, right Mom. But, the emotional nature of the film apart, she is right in a way. I mean, of course you get caught up in the whole thing and get weepy, especially if you’re in the right mood. But the film is, you have to remember, made in 1933. That is a LONG time ago by filmic standards. Thus there are many “problems” to the film as well. Starting from the basics (the film is so old that you can virtually see NOTHING in bits that are underexposed) to thematic (there is one sequence that is supposed to symbolize the horrors of war that in our modern times look absolutely comical – and it goes on for far too long for my liking). But then again, love, no matter how it is filmed is still love. And the emotion is definitely there with Hayes and Cooper, two brilliant actors of their time of course… It is not your average war film. It is, however, a true blue classic that any cinema lover should NOT miss…

ESSIE SPEAKS ABOUT WHAT LIFE IS (MIXED BAG!)

Well hello to y'all!

Today we are philosophical on Essie speaks. It is that time of the month that I like to call "mixed bag week". Consider it on a par with having leftovers for dinner. Or that vegetable soup you make with the random remaining veggies in the fridge, the taste of which you will never be able to imitate again... All brilliant, maybe not a coherent whole per se but impossible to ignore as well... We have a timeless black and white classic, a multiple Oscar winning extravaganza and a thought provoking little number from one of my personal favorite directors, Ken Loach...

I am pretty confident you will find something to regail you in there... Have a good week and happy viewing!

Essie

LIFE IS FULL OF SURPRISE FRIENDSHIPS : "DANCES WITH WOLVES"

I am pretty sure that a lot of you will have at least heard of this multiple Oscar winner that has kind of entered those “films of legend”. You know, those films that constitute an unwritten list of what any self-respecting movie buff will have watched at least once; admitting not watching them will attract strange looks to say the very least… It is definitely a film of a certain era, 90’s, the frontier one strong hero (Kevin Costner – another icon of the 90’s) his loyal wife (eventually) and of course, the Sioux… Admittedly, film-wise Dancing With Wolves is nothing really special, but the story… That’s another matter altogether…
Lieutenant John Dunbar, a rather unlikely hero from the heart of the American Civil War is posted to the frontier. He arrives at the fort to find, much to his surprise, that there is no one there and around him there is nothing but endless stretches of prairie and the lands of his closest neighbors; the Sioux Indians. Dunbar has never actually met an “injun” in his life before, but he has heard tales and he prepares for a vicious battle. But when he comes face to face with his new neighbors, the result cannot be further than what he expected. Both sides learn from each other, true and deep friendships are formed… And soon, Dunbar will begin to question where his real loyalties lie…
Of course it goes without saying that although the film is incredibly exciting and fascinating to watch, on a level it is hard as well, especially knowing what is going to follow and the unavoidable tragic demise of the Native Americans. As you will all doubtless have caught on, many, many films of the same genre followed this once; themes of friendship and films showing us the peaceful lifestyle of the Native Americans abounded but none of the characters were as real and the narrative of friendship as deep and able to capture the heart as this one – this is why, perhaps, they couldn’t be more than mere copies…
I said that technically speaking the film was nothing special. This is true; it is based on typical Hollywood continuity editing, you know, the kind of editing that just does its job. Like a good butler, you barely notice it’s there, you just notice the results, you notice the work it does… This may not be exactly the most original approach the world has seen but it suits this film perfectly. I mean, when you have a story this good, you want to give it center stage; never mind the technical thrills and frills. With things like the Grand Canyon and the American prairies stretching out as a backdrop, do you need stuff like CGI? When the real story of the Native Americans is so powerful and so worth telling; do you need stuff like complicated stunts and grand drama? No. I defy you to watch it without tears welling up in your eyes… At least once…

LIFE SOMETIMES CONTAINS DIFFICULT CHOICES : "AE FOND KISS"

Well, entertainment is important, it is in fact the main “raison d’être” of the cinema. No one can deny, however, that it is also a brilliant opportunity for education and enlightenment if used correctly. The discussion has been going on for donkey’s years, no need to bash on about it now, but it is a fact. An important fact. So that is why it’s a good thing that there are guys like Ken Loach around. Loach is a brilliant director and every single film of his that I have watched has been gripping and technically brilliant. His aim, however, is not merely to take you to “another place” for a couple of hours and rest your weary brow. Oh no. If anything the aim is to weary your brow even further. Loach turns his camera on to what he considers (heck, what most of us consider) wrong with the world we live in today. And his unblinking stare always reveals food for thought – this film is no exception. Ae fond kiss is a look at the famous “multicultural” British society. Loach begs us to consider how well we are managing to live together in peace and harmony despite our differences. And true to style, the outlook is rather bleak…
Casim lives in Glasgow with his family. Their parents, devout Muslims, immigrated to the UK a long time ago; Casim and his two sisters were born and raised here, on that strange border between two cultures. The children go to school – Casim’s younger sister Tahara even goes to a Catholic school – and have friends of all colors and creeds; nevertheless the traditional values of Pakistan are still strong in the community and in the family. Casim is betrothed to his first cousin Jasmin who he has never met face to face; his older sister Rukshan has met her husband through the family and is preparing to marry him. For some it all may seem a touch strange, but on the whole everyone seems content. Until that is, fate brings Casim face to face with Roisin, a music teacher at Tahara’s school. It is love at first sight, they get on so well that it looks as if that they were meant to be together – if they don’t count the outside world of course. Casim has no idea how he will break the news to his parents and Roisin’s devout Catholic employers aren’t too happy about their carrying on either… In the end the question is simple, which will prevail? Love or society?
My God is this one a roller-coaster ride… The parts of Casim and Roisin are so well cast, and the characters and their concerns are so real that once you get into the film you cannot help but have your heart in your mouth until the last minute… Loach’s point, the way I see it, is that people, real people, are far more important than values and prejudices. After all, values and prejudices are both things human beings have put down for themselves. Once you step beyond them a whole new world opens up, and sometimes this is the world that is where you are meant to be. It is particularly hard to be the children of immigrants in a foreign country; on the one hand, for your parents values pertaining to your homeland are living and real, in some cases there is great pressure from the community of immigrants from the same country, everyone has their duty and responsibility… But then, as the children grow up, go to school and socialize a whole new world opens up before them with completely different values and ways of thinking. The choice is often an impossible one; between your family who loves you, cares and wants nothing but what they consider is best for you and your own life, the sheer fact that you yourself drew and followed your own path even if this turned out to be a complete mistake later…
And then there is the very blatant difficulty people have, despite what anyone could possibly say on the matter, with living together, harmoniously and respectfully with people who have completely different values from their own. Theoretically speaking there should be enough planet to go round for all of us but in fact, the simple act of two people falling in love and wanting to live together can cause families to fall apart and careers to end… It may sound ridiculous; it is in fact very, very real…

LIFE IS NOT SERIOUS THE WHOLE TIME : "THE MARX BROTHERS AT THE CIRCUS"

Ok, I’m looking back on this week’s fare and I think it’s turning out a little too serious and sad. Well, that’s the funny thing about cinema, when you say “classic” or “artistic” or “important film” one somehow thinks of something rather serious and sad – ideally a little hard to understand. But no, there are such things as classic comedies as well; these are guys that you really should have seen if you’re really into cinema. Sometimes they are a little older than what you are used to – Charlie Chaplin for instance or Laurel and Hardy – but, even if they date from the silent era like those guys, they are still able to glide onto your screen and cause you to split your sides… Now if anyone and I mean ANYONE deserves a place up there with the comedy greats of cinema, it is the Marx Brothers. Their classic movie “Duck Soup” is still considered by and large one of the funniest films ever made. Personally, just seeing Groucho Marx on a screen brings a smile to my face (so you could say that I am rather prejudiced!). This little gem is another one of my bargain basement discoveries. It is an absolute side-splitter and has the pronounced advantage of being just 83 minutes long, a bite sized classic that is guaranteed to wash away all your cares.
Welcome to Wilson’s Wonder Circus! One of the best three-ringed circuses in the world! And although it seems to be filled with everything you could desire from a circus, there are black clouds circling above the tents. Mr. Wilson is young, good looking and has followed his heart in more senses than one as his rich widowed aunt has disinherited him because of his love of the circus, but also because the love of his life is one of the circus performers, Julie. The only problem is that Wilson owes the manager Mr. Carter 10 000$ - by the end of the week! If he cannot come up with the money, he will lose the circus and become completely destitute. Mr. Carter however, is determined not to play nice. He doesn’t want to hand the circus over to Wilson, so he comes up with a cunning plan. The night Wilson finally gets together to pay the debt – the money is stolen! Wilson is distraught, but luckily he is not alone. The circus dogs body Tony (Chico) and the slightly eccentric and mute circus mascot Punchy (Harpo – as if he needed an introduction) are on the case. And in their arsenal they have another big weapon: Mr. Loophole, Legal Eagle (Groucho of course). Will Mr. Wilson be saved? Or in the well-meant efforts will our three friends destroy the circus entirely?
This is a typical, old fashioned Marx Brothers comedy. Good, old-fashioned entertainment, broken up with songs (I am still humming “Lydia the tattooed Lady” to myself as I write the review the next day) and classic, old-fashioned sketches… As always, Groucho’s appearance on scene heralds a steady stream of one-liners and jokes that come pouring out at a rate and in a style that will make the most stony-faced of you split their sides… The brothers will do everything from walking on walls to leading blues quires for your amusement, and all you have to do is to cut all logic adrift kick back and enjoy. I will not go on talking about it for too long, I mean it’s the Marx brothers we’re talking about here, they don’t need an introduction, you on the other hand, need to stop reading about it but sit down and enjoy the sensation that is the Marx brothers… You know you’re taking no risk here… Step right in…

ESSIE SPEAKS OF JIM JARMUSCH

Hello there everyone! I hope you're all having a great fall, I know I am, it's adrenaline filled if only because scrambling to get used to a completely new way of life away from home is very much involved. Luckily my new life is also chock-full of films and everything that goes with it, so I basically have what I need to survive (mentally :D)
Now this week's update is all about a director who, over the course of my preparation period for my new degree, has become very dear to me indeed. I am talking about the great minimalist director Jim Jarmusch. The term "minimalist" may send some of you screaming to the hills, please don't let it. Allthough I would be the very, very first to admit there are some pretty unwatchable "minimalist" things lurking out there, Jarmusch's work isn't among them. These three films definately aren't. If anything, I am confident they can make you laugh outloud if you just give them a chance!
The first of our "gruesome threesome" this week is Permanant Vacation, a little number filled with pathos but that means a lot to me because the film very accurately describes a state of mind I lived in for quite a while. The other two are comedies / road movies; they make you laugh and they make you think and I have a sneaking suspicion they may fundamenatlly change the way you guys look at things...

happy viewing folks!
Essie

POSSIBLY MY FAVORITE FILM EVER : "PERMANANT VACATION"

The thing about the art of Jim Jarmusch, is that it often speaks more of things that are felt as opposed to “known”. And if you’re not quite sure what that means (and believe me I wouldn’t blame you), I strongly recommend you watch Permanent Vacation. If you do, you will find yourself in the rather strange situation I find myself in right now. The film is 72 minutes long, and if you are like me in your taste of film, you will have watched it “in one gulp” as it were; yet if anyone asks you what it was about, you will be unable to answer exactly. It is about a feeling, a state of being… A state of constant drifting, being unable to belong, being on permanent vacation…
The “owner” of these feelings is Allie Parker. He is a young man of about 18, and before you get the wrong impression, he is not sad because he is this way. This is just the way he is. He is very “cool” about the whole thing and very much embodies the detached and disillusioned generation that accompanied the yuppies who were on the “up and up” in 1980, when the film was made… Allie reckons some people can kid themselves, hide their loneliness with work, ambition, various other things, but really we all drift, and we are all alone… This is not a particularly sad state of affairs, not for Allie anyway; there are many good things in life as well, like music for instance and interesting people… But this is the way it is, like it or lump it… If that looks sad to you from where you’re standing, well… That’s your problem… Not Allie’s…
During the film, we just follow Allie around as he roams the streets of his hometown. The drift is about to take him again, he can feel it coming, but before he succumbs to it (and he always does), he wants to visit his old home. He wants to see his mother. He wants to walk around town for a while. So we wander around with him, with him, we connect with all the people he meets, from his girlfriend who is very much disillusioned with him to his mother and her roommate in a lunatic asylum, to random crazy people off the street. Allie connects with all of them with the same ease, openness and detachment – as far as he is concerned, we are all a little mad anyway…
It’s hard to believe this was Jarmusch’s first feature film. Originally, it was a short film that he shot as a graduation project; he then built on it and lengthened it. In it, apart from a philosophy that is actually a lot deeper than it pretends to be, you will find fascinating camerawork and a very classy minimalist esthetic. I have read it said of Yazujiro Ozu, the great Japanese minimalist director, that one could stop any of his films at a random place and they still would actually qualify as a work of art; I don’t know if this is exactly true of Jarmusch, but it comes pretty damn close… I would go as far as saying it was worth watching for that alone… But don’t be disheartened by the subject matter and definitely don’t imagine this is a sad film… Thought provoking yes. But not sad; as Allie says, this is life and really there isn’t all that much to explain – there isn’t that much you can explain… You have to live it and feel for yourself…