why_bother Reviews

Lemon (1969)

a superstar fruit

[7/10 · 17 December 2005]

I saw this short conceptual piece in my intro to film studies class, a year ago and it is an interesting film, the only problem being that it is almost impossible to find it.

The film is an 8 minute reflection on the use of light as a art and as a semantic tool that infuses meaning by creating a mood... This structural deconstruction focusing on one of the elements of mise en scene is an instructive didactic work that aims at teaching the viewer to scrutinize the images presented to him.

The only thing on the screen here is a lemon and the entire action of the film is a progressive change of the lighting on it. Once you get over the concept you can actually enjoy a nice little film funny and touching at times, it sounds strange but really that goes to prove the power of lighting as an essential and pervasive tool for the filmmaker.

I recommend to see this film to any committed film student if you can put your hands on it.

Magical Mystery Tour (1967 TV Movie)

Yoko could have filmed this !

[4/10 · 1 May 2003]

(excuse my english... I'm French) Why on earth did they do something like that ? answer, they were so drugged they couldn't even remember what kind of audience watched the Boxing day programs. and why did they started LSD ? because of a dentist. So, logically enough we should not blame them for this too crappy to be true "movie" but rather the dentist in particular and all of them (because we don't need reasons to blame dentists). This is one of the worst movies I've seen in my entire life and I've seen a good quantity! But of course as a Beatles fan I can't hate this... Anyway this is not even a movie it's a home movie (see the difference, it's huge!) and it was only TV broadcasted. People didn't like it at that time (now it seems that contemporary audiences more used to visual rubbish find it "not so bad") but it was broadcasted in black and white which killed some sequences such as the Flying video clip. In fact the video clips are the only things sincerely worth looking at. But yet seeing George completely stoned pretending to play the piano on the floor in front of a blue smoky setting is pretty depressing, not to mention Paul McCartney with his lubric looks and red nose (homage to Santa Close's Rudolf??!!). Whatsoever some sequences can be almost interesting such as Richard Starkey & aunt's bording on the magical mysterious bus (note that Ringo is really the best actor of the lot here and in Help!)and their wonderful work that make their arguments more realistic than real life (hear the sarcasm of couse). Another "good" sequence is Aunt & Mr Bloodvessel's "Un homme et une femme" love story on the beach, if the Beatles had seen Lelouch's masterpiece it's a cool english remake. Other scenes are interesting but ugly such as the famous spaghetti orgy. Lennon keeps piling stacks of disgusting spaghettis (with a vicious and mad look on his face) in front of Ringo's aunt who looks alternatively terrified and pleased. Honestly don't eat while watching it. The wizard scenes are funny though few but the great moment for a laugh is Paul's Fool on the Hill clip (shot in the south of France. Cocorico !!)at the same time lovely and moving. Anyhow, this film can still be considered as an arty cinematographic artefact, you know, the kind of things pop art lovers would consider ART. I don't really appreciate this kind of material but any pop art lover should be pleased with the psychedelic and subversive use of the Beatles' image. But even though a good fan will always find good things here, we have to admit that for the non-fan, seeing John ,Paul, George and Ringo high and raving isn't really interesting, and even for a fan seeing them like that isn't what I'd call jolly. so, For fans only, but they have to be warned (drink or smoke something while watching) and anyhow Help! , Hard Day's Night or Yellow Submarine are 10 times greater!

Out of the Past (1947)

A "film noir" that really keeps it dark

[10/10 · 1 May 2003]

(little hint about the end. please excuse my english...I'm french)

The problem with "films noirs" is that most of the time the inspired writers don't want to bring the spectator down and thus cheer us all up with incredible happy endings. Fortunately enough this film is an exception, there's really nothing to make you feel good or comfort you, and yet the "engrenage inexorable" which catches Jeff (R. Mitchum) can seem less threatening than usual.

Of course he's in danger, of course things keep getting worse and worse and yet he seems unshakable, the strong & fragile, stoic Mitchum. This is a great performance by one of the most enigmatic actors of his time. As for the love story, indeed as says James Ellroy "cherchez la femme", it's a masterpiece. Jeff is torn appart between magic and intriguing Kathie (Jane Greer) and sweet redemption Ann (Virginia Huston) but the characters although easy to identify are not caricatures . Kathie is wonderful. Jane Greer's incredible style and features make the character irresistible and increase the surprise and disappointment as we discover her "dark side". But she's not a vilain, she's better than that: she's a human and a woman, ambiguous, selfish but ... There's something about her next to what sweet gentle Ann cannot compare.

On the "baddies' side" there's also Kirk Douglas as chief villain, but classy , rich and not so bad you can't like him. Yes indeed this movie respects every point of a good film noir: love, betrayal, hope, redemption, fall from grace, ambiguity, inexorability. The dark ending gives to the whole movie an antic-tragedy style, as states Anouilh the matter with drama is that you cannot help but thinking there's still hope, with tragedy everything's clear, everyone knows what to do and how it's going to end. Even though Jeff isn't Oedipe there's a look in his eyes and a final sacrifice that really make him a tragic hero.

Of course Tourneur's images , direction and style are perfect as usual and capture the subtle sensuality between the actors. It's a real moment of pleasure, the story is good, the actors too; more than an excellent film, this is a piece of cinema, and as everyone knows, that's simply art.