FILM: JULY 2008
Sorry no Pics this month
The EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL
FILM FESTIVAL had a varied selection. There was an extensive
documentary section, a retrospective section on Jeanne Moreau as well as some
new British and films from other parts of Europe and the USA. Although I shall
return to a number of new films as they appear over the coming months, some of
the highlights for me were: MAN ON WIRE (1hr.58mins. Released 1 Aug), a
documentary directed by James Marsh using archive footage as well as interviews
to tell the story of the preparations and actual hire-wire walk between the twin
towers of the World Trade Centre by Philippe Petit in 1974. Watching it was like
seeing a thriller and his death- defying act – he used no support system – gave
me vertigo. I wasn’t the only one to like this film – it won the Audience Award.
Another excellent documentary, which, as yet has no distributor, is THREE
MILES NORTH OF MOLKOM (1hr.52mins.), a most amusing account of the two weeks
spent by filmmakers Robert Cannan and Corinna Villari-McFarlane at an annual
festival in the forests of Sweden. Known for its “tree-hugging”activities, the
film follows seven completely different individuals including a sceptical
Australian. Once it gets released I shall detail the interview I held with the
co-directors. PAGEANT (1hr.35mins.) directed by Ron Davis is an amazing
documentary which shows five male contestants as they prepare and then take part
in the Miss Gay America competition. The way they transform themselves from very
ordinary looking blokes to extremely glamorous drag women with no surgical
enhancements is mind-blowing.
The best of the other films
that I was able to see were Shane Meadows’ latest, SOMERS TOWN
(1hr.15mins. Released 22 Aug) once again starring Thomas Turgoose, who was so
good in This Is England. Set in an area of London where I used to work, it tells
of the coming together of young Toma (Turgoose) and a Polish teenager who embark
on some criminal activities. With amusing moments and consistently good acting
the film rightly won the Michael Powell award for Best New British Feature Film.
Another winner was Robert Carlyle for his “Best Performance” in SUMMER
(1hr.35 mins.), where he plays Shaun who reflects on one lovely summer he spent
with girlfriend Katy (Rachel Blake) and best friend Daz (SteveEvets). Daz has
only weeks to live following an accident and advanced cirrhosis. There are many
amusing moments well-handled by director, Kenny Glenaan and the film comes
across as a truthful tale.
I really enjoyed MISS
PETTIGREW LIVES FOR A DAY (1hr.45mins.) with the always excellent Frances
McDormand in the title role of a Governess acting as a social secretary to Amy
Adams’ spoilt actress character. Set in London with WW2 about to happen,
director Bharat Nalluri puts across the atmosphere of opulence and over
indulgence combined with extreme poverty very well. The film is released in
August. THE VISITOR (1hr.43mins.) directed by Thomas McArthur comes out
in July and contains a modestly restrained performance by Richard Jenkins as a
widowed University Professor who returns to his infrequently used apartment in
New York to find it occupied by a pair of refugees. When one of them is
arrested, his mother comes to stay and the Professor finds himself battling with
the Authorities on their behalf. A fictional story with more than a edge of
reality about it.
Out now but made over a series
of weekends in the 1970s and released in 1977 KILLER OF SHEEP (cert. 12A
1hr. 20mins.) is a beautifully shot black and white film - the cinematographer
as well as the Director is Charles Burnett - giving a portrait of a
slaughterhouse worker and his family. It is an outstanding portrait of black
Americans in Watts, Los Angeles, enhanced by a great musical soundtrack that
includes Paul Robson and Dinah Washington. If you have difficulty finding the
film outside London you may need to wait until it comes out as a DVD. Another
unusual film which is well worth seeing but completely different is CRAZY
LOVE (1hr.31mins.). This documentary about the very strange love affair
between Burt and Linda begins when he is 32 and she 20 and with Burt in his 80s
and Linda 70s they recall the violent outcome and their subsequent lives. It is
hard to write about this film without saying what happened but suffice to say
that the story is stranger than any film on view this month.
COUSCOUS (cert. 15
2hrs. 31mins), directed by Abdellatif Kechiche, is also about a community, this
time those originally from North Africa now living in Sete, South of France.
When Simane is laid off from his job at the shipyard he uses his severance money
to buy an old boat to convert to a restaurant. With the help of Rym (a lovely
performance by newcomer Hafsia Herzi), daughter of his mistress, he attempts to
get the necessary authorisations to borrow money and set up the business which
he hopes will support not only himself but his extended family. He lays on a
party to show the officials what he can produce and his ex-wife cooks her
speciality fish couscous dish. Unfortunately the plan misfires somewhat. Long
scenes at two family meals provide the core and it is worth sticking with these
to digest the full flavour of the film.
……………………………………………………………
THEATRE TIP: JULY 2008
The new musical MARGUERITE
(Theatre Royal) uses Dumas’ La Dame Aux Camelias to tell the story of
Marguerite, the beautiful (well, Ruthie Henshall looks good and certainly sings
beautifully) mistress of an important German Officer (Alexander Hanson, playing
on the opposite side to his recent stint as Captain Von Trapp in Sound of
Music). She falls in love with Armand (a strong voiced Julian Ovenden), an
impoverished young musician. Directed by Jonathan Kent, there are imposing sets
and costumes and the atmosphere of WW2 occupied Paris is well depicted. The only
thing lacking is a spark between the two lovers.
Another musical, this time
telling the story of a Take That tribute band, NEVER FORGET (Savoy) has
lots of the group’s hits and lively, sexy choreography. There are some fantastic
effects including “real” rain pouring on to the actors. The simple dialogue and
easy on the eye production will certainly appeal to Take That fans…not sure
about the rest of us.
Neil LaBute’s FAT PIG (Trafalgar Studios) should
have something to say to all of us. When Tom falls in love with large Helen his
colleagues at work - in particular Carter and Jeannie, his former girl-friend –
are very cruel about her size. Tom is ashamed and tries to hide Helen and even
sits separately with her at a beach party. Helen makes fun of her size as they
share romantic moments, “Big people are jolly, remember.” Although he tries to
explain to Carter his love for Helen, “I like who I am when I’m with her,”
convention wins in the end and sizeist seems to be the new discrimination issue.
There are excellent performances, although some wobbly accents from the men at
times, from Robert Webb as Tom, Kris Marshall as Carter and in particular Ella
Smith as Helen.
Long-time readers will know
that one of the high spots of my year – theatrically speaking – is the Open Air
season at Regent’s Park. First up is ROMEO AND JULIET, directed by the
new Artistic director, Timothy Sheader. With 50s dress, choreographed fights, a
young good-looking couple and a black, younger Nurse than we are used to and a
balmy summer’s night, what is not to like? Well, for a start the actors are
miked which means that a lot of the sweet nothings come across as shouting,
Juliet wakes and embraces Romeo while he is still alive and some of
Shakespeare’s verse is not spoken as lyrically as it should be – admittedly
difficult in the open air setting. This is a certainly a lovely way to spend a
summer evening.
As is TWELFTH NIGHT, which is worth going to just to hear
Clive Rowe sing magnificently in the part of Feste. Janie Dee gives one of the
best portrayals of a lovely, proud though vulnerable Olivia that I have seen.
Using the same set as in Romeo and Juliet, the director, Edward Dick, gets
around the male and female twins and her conversion to male by having Asian
actors with long pigtails. This works well and although Neet Mohan’s Sebastian
is taller, he and Natalie Drew as Viola are convincing. The Malvolio of Richard
O’Callaghan, looking a lot like Eric Morecambe, grows on one as the play
progresses, but I didn’t warm to Tim Woodward’s Sir Toby Belch, who was not
funny enough, drunk or sober. Everyone smoked a lot in both productions.
While an open air venue, the
Globe, though lovely to be in, has the most uncomfortable seats in London. Apart
from that there is much to admire in the very amusing version of A MIDSUMMER
NIGHT’S DREAM, which starts with an exemplary display by two drummers. It is
unusual to have a short Bottom without a false head, but that is what Paul
Hunter shows us here and it works very well. As usual every comic line gets an
immediate response from the predominantly young audience.
No room to do justice to the
magnificent THE REVENGER’S TRAGEDY (National Theatre), which uses all the
skills and expertise of the range of technicians as well as actors at the
National. Beginning with an amazing acrobatic display of images on the rotating
set the production manages to portray the various characters clearly and in many
ways simplify Thomas Middleton’s play so that even the complications arising
from Vindice’s disguise as Piato – at one stage sent to procure his own sister
to pleasure the Duke’s son – are not confusing. The modern dress is sometimes
difficult to accept with the playwright’s dialogue. Apart from the terrific set,
costumes, choreographed movement and general visual displays, the actors are all
worthy of praise. Young Rory Kinnear gives a performance of which his late
father, Roy, would have been proud and Barbara Flynn who is perhaps known by
most people from her TV roles shows that here as Vindice’s mother succumbing to
bribes to prostitute her daughter, she has a great stage presence.
After that all I can say about
DICKENS UNPLUGGED (Comedy) is that some of the little scenes are amusing
but most of the singing sounds the same and the five actors while competent are
all male so that the men have to dress as women. I learnt a little about the
life of Dickens and had glimpses into his books but the American accents and
references to “Charlie Dickens” just about sum it up.
Carlie Newman
