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Posted on March 14, 2012 by TR

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Suzanna Hamilton in “Nineteen Eighty-Four” [1984 UK]

Posted on May 18, 2012 by TR

I have seen only three films of BAFTA winning director Michael Radford, of which his 1984 adaptation of George Orwell’s “1984″ is undoubtedly the best. I’ve yet to see his more acclaimed “Il Postino” though, and my opinion might yet change after viewing it.

“Nineteen Eight-Four” however is one of the more faithful adaptations of a novel I’ve ever seen – even if a few chapters and events are skimmed past (understandable), it vividly captures the tone, atmosphere and message of the novel in all its muck and glory, just the way you imagined it while reading the book. I believe that’s partly because Radford doesn’t treat the work as science fiction even if ironically that’s the way Orwell intended. The screenplay and production design portrays this more as a political satire set during a proto-cold war period – i.e., just after the second world war, with its then technology and know-how – the time when Orwell actually wrote this novel. The casting of the main characters couldn’t have been any better – the choice of John Hurt, Suzanna Hamilton, and Richard Burton (this was his final film) incredibly fit their respective characters to a dot. The cinematography and lighting is imaginatively thought out with some interesting camera angles and colours to capture the utter despair and foreboding. Add to that, we have an atmospheric soundtrack by Dominic Muldowney (and Eurythmics) that give the film added gravitas. As a literary interpretation and a piece of cinema, this is a qualified triumph for Michael Radford and therefore, Highly Recommended Viewing..!

Amazon DVD Link


Storyline: (For those who’ve yet to read the book)
After a third (atomic) World War, the world map changes radically – now made up of three authoritarian superstates, Oceania (of which Britain and the Americas are part), Eurasia (continental Europe and Russia), and the more recently formed Eastasia (China, India and others). The story takes place in Oceania, ruled by the mysterious ‘Big Brother’ (BB), where Winston is a civil servant in the Records department of ‘Minitrue’ (Ministry of Truth – among other things it monitors and decides what gets published, and in what form). He meets Julia, from the ‘Porno Section’ of the Fiction Department during one of their daily collective ‘Hate’ gatherings, falls in love, and embarks on a secretive affair. Or so he thought – for he should have known, BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING!

By the way, George Orwell’s “1984″ is essential reading for everyone, no matter what their political leaning. It is also well written, thought provoking, and compelling, tinged with the sense of encroaching horror. If you haven’t read it yet, it’s about time you did!


Compilation: Shirley Stelfox and Suzanna Hamilton
There is a practical and symbolic necessity for nudity in this film, Julia and Winston are often shown together in the nude – clothed, they are nothing but comrades in the machinery called Oceania.

Shirley Stelfox and Suzanna Hamilton TR HQ Nineteen Eighty Four 930x1024 Suzanna Hamilton in Nineteen Eighty Four [1984 UK]

Suzanna Hamilton appears to have been born to play the role of Julia in Michael Radford's Orwellian classic, "Nineteen Eighty-Four".

Scene Guide:

  • Winston had just started writing a diary in secret, and reminisces an encounter with a prostitute in the ‘proletarian’ quarter. Winston is excellently portrayed by John Hurt and the prostitute is played by Shirley Stelfox.
  • One of Winston’s visions of the dark haired girl he recently met – Julia. True to the novel, she sheds her clothing as she approaches, including the red sash which is a sign of someone who belongs to the Anti-Sex League, meaning – they’re celibate. Julia is convincingly played by Suzanna Hamilton – I’m still amazed how well she fits the description in Orwell’s book.
  • Julia and Winston’s first ‘date’ in the woods, away from Big Brother’s watchful eyes…
  • Winston rents a room in the proletarian quarter for their rendezvous.
  • Winston is ridden with guilt concerning his mother – here he has a recurrent dream while in bed with Julia.
  • Good things can’t last for ever. ‘Here comes a candle to light you to bed, Here comes a chopper to chop off your head..!’

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Déborah François and others in “My Queen Karo” [2009 Belgium, Netherlands]

Posted on May 15, 2012 by TR

I believe coming-of-age must be a favourite subject for Dutch-Belgian director Dorothée Van Den Berghe – this is the second film of hers that I’ve seen delving into it. “My Queen Karo” is a delicate study of a young girl adjusting to life in an unconventional environment.

Storyline:
the film is set in the early seventies when nine year old Karo and her bohemian parents Dalia and Raven move into a squatter’s commune in Amsterdam. Within no time, Raven gets involved with Alice, a left-wing activist who already has a partner and two children, and he invites her to move into the commune. Obviously Dalia isn’t too happy with the arrangement but there’s little she could do to change Raven’s mind. She reluctantly accepts the ménage à trois by sharing Raven with Alice. Just as her parents come to terms with the new life they’d chosen, Karo finds herself adjusting to new realities. This is the heart of the film, as she sees her parent’s relationship change beyond what she’d have ideally preferred, and must find her own way to be happy. She still loves her parents, and although she is glad to have found new friends in Alice’s children – Daniel and Tara, swimming will become her passion, one she will pursue with rigour to distract herself from a less than ideal lifestyle.

While similar topics may have been discussed in film before, what makes this different is the careful and sensitive screenplay. It doesn’t divert too much of our attention away from young Karo – this film isn’t about her parents and their heartbreaks, but of Karo displaying a maturity beyond her years to adapt to the surroundings. All the principal actors give a fine performance, particularly pleasing is that of the adorable Anna Franziska Jaeger who plays Karo. The cinematography is appealing, as is the soundtrack, and I even loved the title credits. There are also instances of child nudity in the film, but it is deftly handled – there’s nothing here that ‘balanced’ individuals should be unduly concerned about. This is pretty much a mainstream film that needs a wider audience than it does. And that is why, this is Recommended Viewing..!

Amazon DVD Link


Compilation:
Déborah François, Maria Kraakman, Matthias Schoenaerts, Anna Franziska Jaeger, Cezanne Q Cuypers, and Samuel du Chatinier

Déborah François Maria Kraakman Matthias Schoenaerts Anna Franziska Jaeger Cezanne Q Cuypers et Samuel du Chatinier TR HQ My Queen Karo 916x1024 Déborah François and others in My Queen Karo [2009 Belgium, Netherlands]

Déborah François, Maria Kraakman, and Matthias Schoenaerts give decent performances in Dorothée Van Den Berghe's coming-of-age drama, "My Queen Karo", but the most impressive is that of young Anna Franziska Jaeger who plays the titular character Karo.

Scene Guide:

  • Young Karo and her hedgehog pal Iglo adjusting to life in a commune. Karo is played by the wonderful Anna Franziska Jaeger.
  • When Raven openly takes on Alice as his lover, a distraught Dalia contemplates throwing herself off the building. Karo intervenes. Dalia is played by the delightful Déborah François, Raven by a handsome Matthias Schoenaerts, and Alice by a very nineteen-seventies looking Maria Kraakman.
  • Dalia tries to get some attention from Raven by trying on a dress she’d just made. When she asks for some help with her dress, Raven refuses to play along.
  • With Raven spending a lot of his time with Alice, Dalia decides the only way she could be with him is by joining them. A threesome ensues. Karo watches the drama with mixed feelings of curiosity and disappointment.
  • Alice and Raven go on a holiday along with Karo and Alice’s children Tara and Daniel, played by Cezanne Q Cuypers, and Samuel du Chatinier respectively.
  • Upon their return, Raven is annoyed noticing Dalia had installed a new partition, effectively separating herself from the rest.
  • Raven and Alice making love not too far away from the children, and Alice’s kids jump into the bed to play with her. Karo doesn’t.
  • When the landlord switches off their water supply, Alice, Raven, and the kids help themselves to a much needed shower at Karo’s swimming pool.

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Posted in Belgium, Dorothée Van Den Berghe, Dutch Cinema | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments

Teresa Madruga in “Dans la Ville Blanche” [1983 France, Portugal]

Posted on May 13, 2012 by TR

Some people talk of European cinema as if it is some kind of a monolith, or a method of film-making in itself. While it certainly isn’t, there is something in the cinema made here that is unique to the region, one that will find itself out of place anywhere else – its essence. Good film makers the world over who have sought inspiration from European classics know where to draw the line – one beyond which they’ll end up looking pretentious or even irrelevant. Even among Europe’s finest film makers, you will find they tend to relate mostly to their own native audience. But if I have to pick one film maker who can transcend regions and find himself at home anywhere in Europe when it comes to cinema, it will have to be the Swiss-born Alain Tanner.

Like in his 1983 classic, “Dans la Ville Blanche” [Eng. Title: In the White City] – I was actually in a dilemma where to even file it in the blog – here we have a Swiss director making a French film about a German (Swiss) sailor living in Portugal. I have seen only a handful of Tanner’s films to date – they’re not particularly easy to get hold of, but among those this one remains my favourite, pipping his earlier and more widely known gem, “Jonas qui aura 25 ans en l’an 2000 “.

Storyline:
Paul, a German-Swiss sailor deserts ship upon reaching Lisbon – just like that. He walks around the city filming with his 8mm camera and sends the footage to his wife back home. In all his communications with his wife, he is honest, sometimes painfully so. Especially after he meets and falls in love with local waitress Rosa at the hotel where he’s staying. Paul doesn’t want to work, resolve whatever problems he has with his wife – it is obvious they still care about each other, or even settle down with the cute Rosa who only wants to see some kind of commitment from him. Paul has decided to take a vacation from everyday life itself, without quite becoming a hermit.

The storyline however tells us nothing of what’s in store for us. This is an intimate journey of a man in a state of crisis. We don’t know what he is looking for – by all probability he himself doesn’t. And neither is he particularly worried about it as he takes every minute as it comes. It is this vacuous ‘walkabout’ in an alien city with its fading charm, much like himself, that keeps us transfixed to the screen. It is a film about alienation as much as it is about a man’s hidden desire to do something ‘worthwhile’. Way ahead of its time – it looks at a Europe without frontiers, and contemplates a human condition that is thoroughly modern and relevant today. In the process, we’re left these haunting images of a Lisbon probably never seen before nor will ever be – the grainy 8mm stock used in these scenes give a nostalgic feel and abstract quality that so befits the film’s theme. Add to that we have a breathtaking jazz soundtrack by Jean-Luc Barbier, used sparingly but to magnificent effect. One could relate to Paul the protagonist, played by a very different looking Bruno Ganz (Der Himmel über Berlin – Wings of Desire). As also with the plain but beautiful waitress Rosa, played by leading Portuguese actress Teresa Madruga. I also loved the way Tanner forces you to get to grips with his pace to show us his world, his vision. If action-packed films are your thing, this one isn’t your cup of tea, but for those with curiosity and patience, this is as rewarding as films get. Needless to say, Highly Recommended Viewing..!

Amazon.com DVD Link
English Subtitles


Compilation: Teresa Madruga
This film is a whole lot more than these brief nude scenes. The main purpose of the post is to write something about one of the most memorable films I’ve ever seen and also kick start Alain Tanner’s filmography. This was taken from my letterboxed DVD – I haven’t checked the more recent Alain Tanner collection box-set, but as far as I’m aware this film hasn’t been digitally remastered. It is nevertheless a decent transfer as it stands.

Teresa Madruga TR HQ Dans la Ville Blanche 1024x974 Teresa Madruga in Dans la Ville Blanche [1983 France, Portugal]

Some brief moments of nudity from beautiful Portuguese actress Teresa Madruga in Alain Tanner's classic, "Dans la Ville Blanche".

Scene Guide:

  • Rosa the waitress invites Paul to her apartment to spend some time together after work. Rosa is played by a young and beautiful Teresa Madruga, and Paul by Swiss actor of repute Bruno Ganz.
  • Continued…
  • This time Rosa sneaks into his hotel room during work.
  • Paul had only recently been mugged and robbed of all his cash. Penniless, hungry, all he could think of is making a ‘romantic’ film with Rosa.
  • No nudity but relevant scene as Rosa realises she’s in love with a person who’s still a stranger to her in many respects.
  • Highlight of the compilation – some of the 8mm footage shot by Paul – magical!

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Elena Anaya in “Alatriste” [2006 Spain] 1080p

Posted on May 10, 2012 by TR

Agustín Díaz Yanes has the distinction of having directed one of the most expensive films ever made in Spain, “Alatriste”. Based on a series of popular novels about the exploits of a seventeenth century soldier and mercenary – El Capitán Alatriste, it is a swashbuckling epic spanning some four decades of one of the most eventful periods in Spanish history, one that also saw its world superpower status seriously challenged by upstarts like England and France.

Storyline:
I haven’t read any of the original novels, so my storyline is based purely on what one sees in the film. Almost episodic, the film starts with Alatriste as a soldier under King Philip IV involved in quelling a revolt in the restive Flanders (Dutch) region. When one of his comrades dies during battle, Alatriste promises to take care of his young son Íñigo. Alatriste soon becomes prominent enough to get noticed in royal circles, and is commissioned odd and sometimes unofficial assignments to do their dirty work. Romance is part of the film’s offering too – between Íñigo and the Queen’s lady in waiting Angélica, and Alatriste’s own affair with actress María de Castro, upon whom the King himself had set his eyes on. María de Castro is probably the most tragic character in the film as she will spend her last days at a syphilis hospital, and Angélica will also change her mind about eloping with Iñigo after realising she has the opportunity to become a countess – practical lady. There are several more battles and intrigues than I’d care to write about – let’s just say it is action packed from beginning till the end.

The film aims to appeal to an international audience by casting Scandinavian-American Viggo Mortensen (Lord of the Rings) in the titular role. It is also around two and a half hours long – not enough to fit in five novels and do justice to the original work, but that’s what it tries, and fails. People who’re not aware of the original stories will find the film an information overload. With regard to the production, I’m still not convinced about the film’s supposed technical merits save the exquisite costume design, and even that job is made easier by focusing on too few types of characters – soldiers, nobles, and slaves – I don’t remember seeing a single peasant or trader in the entire film. I’m afraid every other aspect is only trying to compare itself to production levels of Tirante el Blanco, a film that also came out the same year. I found the cinematography, set design, and lighting spending too much effort trying to look like a sombre Velázquez or early Goya composition instead of making us feel and breathe the late medieval air. Apart from the boat scene with the slave rowers, there’s little else that impressed me in cinematic terms.

May be my opinion is clouded after watching recent ground-breaking productions like The Game of Thrones, may be because I’m not generally a sucker for historical epics unless it is researched and seen through the eyes of a Pasolini, or may be I’m just plain annoyed that having watched too many things happen on-screen, precious little has indeed registered. This film has failed to impress me. Among the performances, the best is that of Ariadna Gil who plays the actress María de Castro caught between the affections of Alatriste and the King. Elena Anaya also is a joy to watch even if there’s nothing too challenging for her to do here. This post is more of an excuse to write about a brief minute-long nude scene shot with all the coyness of late imperial catholic Spain – that of Angélica being persuaded by Íñigo to elope with him and get married. Angélica is played by an angelic Elena Anaya.

Elena Anaya TR HD Alatriste 1024x655 Elena Anaya in Alatriste [2006 Spain] 1080p

Elena Anaya plays the royal staff member Angélica who is persuaded by young lover Íñigo to elope with him in the big budget Spanish swashbuckler "Alatriste"..

Amazon Blu-ray Link
English Subtitles

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Posted in Elena Anaya, Spain | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Mina Orfanou in “Strella” [2009 Greece]

Posted on May 7, 2012 by TR

I’ve had the DVD of this Panos H. Koutras drama, “Strella” [Eng. Title: A Woman's Way] for well over a year now. It is also one of the most poignant and radical films I’d seen during the time, one that I’d been itching to post but whose time has probably only just about arrived…

It’s films like these that make European cinema every once in a while so unique and revolutionary. In terms of story and screenplay, it certainly covers new ground by tackling a subject that’s taboo in most cultures with great sensitivity and care. And it is also refreshing to see a film like this made not in the traditional heartland of European cinema like France, Germany, or Italy, but a largely conservative Greece. No wonder it raised a few eyebrows there when it was released. This post is also a coming-of-age of sorts for the blog – while I’d discussed films dealing with transsexual themes before, this is the first one that doesn’t involve a female actress playing the part – this is as kosher as they come!

Storyline:
It is a challenging task to write a storyline for this without giving too much away – there’s nothing like discovering this strange story by yourself as the film progresses, experiencing its shocking twists and turns, and then reflecting back on what you just saw to realise how well the film has actually been conceived. But I shall try. icon wink Mina Orfanou in Strella [2009 Greece]
Yiorgos arrives at Athens after serving a fourteen year sentence for murder. Along with the world outside, he too has ‘adapted’, but had lost contact with the only member of his family, his son who was nine before he was sent to prison. Through directory enquiries, he goes around cancelling out every person in town who has his son’s name to try and locate him. Meanwhile he meets Strella (a nickname for the name ‘Stella’ mixed with the word ‘Trella’ which means madness), a transsexual prostitute at his hotel, falls in love, and pretty soon moves in with her. When he eventually meets his son, the reunion will be quite beyond what anyone would have hoped for. Yiorgos will yet again have to adapt and learn to find peace and love under altered circumstances…

More than anything else, this challenging but deeply moving film is about exploring how broad a brush could be used to describe ‘love’. How important is paternal love, and what is it that a child expects the most from his father. There are some lines from the film that will make you see things in different light, they will be challenging, but are also magical and deeply touching. The film is very well done, and it may come as a surprise to some that the extraordinary performance by the transsexual actress playing Strella, Mina Orfanou had never acted in film before. Perhaps for women like her, acting on film must only be an extension of their everyday lives, thinking and living like someone they weren’t born as. Notwithstanding her undoubted skills, what makes her character in the film that spectacular however is the fine direction and careful editing, one that you’ll appreciate when you watch it for the second time with full knowledge of the story. Not unlike Almodóvar and Fassbinder before him, Koutras has treated a subject concerning a people who are typically stereotyped and used as fodder for jokes with dignity, focusing on their rarely shown humanity and inner beauty. This gem of a film will only go unappreciated by the narrow minded and frivolous. Highly Recommended Viewing..!

Amazon DVD Link
English Subtitles


Compilation: Mina Orfanou and Yannis Kokiasmenos
I’ve kept the graphics relatively low-key as it may otherwise be misleading. Those who can follow Greek may encounter some major spoilers here. I also hope people read the full post before deciding on watching it..! icon smile Mina Orfanou in Strella [2009 Greece]

Mina Orfanou Yannis Kokiasmenos TR HQ Strella 926x1024 Mina Orfanou in Strella [2009 Greece]

Some scenes of Mina Orfanou and Yannis Kokiasmenos from the moving Greek drama by Panos H. Koutras, "Strella".

Scene Guide:

  • While staying at a motel, Yiorgos gets invited by prostitute Strella, for a drink in her room. He realises that she’s different from other women but nevertheless decides to goes ‘all’ the way. Strella is played by a beautiful Mina Orfanou, and Yiorgos by Yannis Kokiasmenos.
  • The director scores some creative points by showing Yiorgos’ recurrent dream of a squirrel – we’ll discover its significance later in the film. Meanwhile Strella wakes up to see Yiorgos sleeping naked next to her, but she had to leave in a hurry.
  • No nudity, but nevertheless an interesting pass of play where Strella asks Yiorgos what is it that he likes about her the most.
  • This is magical scene – romantic, erotic but also touching – when Yiorgos surprises Strella by fixing a lantern that wouldn’t work until then. When Strella approaches to thank him, he asks her to take off the towel.
  • An argument ensues while Strella prepares to leave to see a customer. Yiorgos wants her to stop pursuing her trade. She refuses. The conversation is outrageous but I can’t describe it as it contains important plot give-aways.

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Posted in Greek Cinema | Tagged , , , , , , , | 5 Comments