Movies You May Have Missed: 7/22/08
Laetitia Spigarelli and Mathieu Amalric in Heartbeat Detector
Funny thing about parsing lists of DVD releases: I had no idea how many crap-o DVDs came out every week.
The Teddy Ruxpin Adventures: Return to Rillonia? Really? I had no idea we’d even left Rillonia and now here’s a whole DVD about going back to it. In the immortal words of Mr. Spock: Fascinating.
Anyway, there isn’t lot to shout about in terms of new movies you may have missed this week so let’s make it quick and then get on with our lives.
Of the three worth checking out, I’ve only seen the middle one and it’s the least check-outable.
Heartbeat Detector (2007). I toyed with seeing this French film starring Mathieu Almaric (The Diving Bell and the Butterfly) at LAFF ‘08, but there was always something in the way. I still hate the US title (it was called La Question Humaine in France), but the rest intrigues me. Almaric plays a human resources psychologist working for a French petrochemical company. When he’s assigned to covertly report on the mental health of one of the company’s managers, he begins to unravel secrets of the company’s sordid past and clues to what might be driving the manager crazy.
The Last Winter (2006) ***. This one is a near miss that I caught at LAFF ‘07. It’s an ecologically themed horror story from Larry Fessenden (Wendigo) about an arctic advance oil drilling team. The permafrost is mysteriously melting and an environmentalist is brought on to the close knit team to find out why. It turns out there might be something ghostly out on the tundra. The low budget film is a bit of a mess really, but it might be worth a rental for people who like their horror more spooky than grisly. Owing much to other films about isolation like Alien and The Thing, Winter starts off strong, implying much and showing little, but it eventually blows the haunting mood by overplaying its hand. The CGI horrors in the end aren’t that horrible after all. The final scene might stick with you though. Ron Perlman (Hellboy) plays the head of the team.
Turn the River (2007). Famke Janssen plays a woman who hustles pool in order to earn enough money to get the son back she had to give up at birth. It sounds kind of melodramatic, but I really like Janssen outside of her action roles. This one got mostly positive if unenthusiastic reviews.
Filed under: DVD
Yeah, I became a little pissed off at The Last Winter, mainly because I thought it was “a bit of a mess,” like you say. Mostly it kind of angered me because it started off pretty well, as you say implying a good deal without showing much at all, but unfortunately it really did overplay its hand.
I like Amalric, and I hope this Bond film makes him a bigger star. I’d like to check that French film out.
I was a big fan of The Last Winter when I saw it, I hope it holds up to a second viewing – I was fine with it going a little off the rails because at least it wasn’t predictable.
The new Criterions are here! The Vampyr set is disturbingly bulky with another huge making-of book included in the box.
Indeed Craig, I would pose that 95% of the weekly DVD releases are fully avoidable. And this is a poor for the central focus of this thread–films that released in theatres late last year or early this year.
THE LAST WINTER (as Alexander asserts) is more than a problematic film. I actually was appalled by the majority of good to excellent reviews it received as it was a languid, gimicky film that went nowhere, and worked to a big climax that turned out lame. Wooden acting and dialogue help sealed the deal–what could one expect from a film that uses “The Blair Witch Project” as an artistic model? I saw this at the IFC and issued a one and a half star review for it, and pissed off people who I dragged to it, including one huge fan of horror and suspense films.
TURN THE RIVER is intriguing as Craig poses, but HEARTBEAT DETECTOR is definitely one I want to see, so netflix it is on that one.
This is quite the banner week for Criterion. Yes, the VAMPYR is bulky, but the bulky booklet is not a making-of, but the full screenplay “Writing Vampyr” by Dreyer and Christen Jul, as well as “Carmilla” by Sheridan Le Fanu. The regular booklet is tucked in the attractive and ornate four panel disc package. The definitive presentation of this film, a long time coming, includes a most worthwhile running commentary by film scholar Tony Rayns, a documentary “Carl Theodor Dreyer” chronicling Dreyer’s career by Jorgen Roos, and a visual essay by scholar Casper Tybjerg. VAMPYR, of course is unlike any other vampire film. It’s not so much a foray into the horror genre, as it is an eerie mood piece, a dream, the visualization of the conflict between the heart and the brain for the soul. Most vampire films–indeed,most horror films–deal with the conflict between good and evil; but Dreyer links his vampire with Satan and makes the village of “Courtenpierre” a religious battleground where believers and blasphemers wage war. The whole film has an effectively haunting, misty look due to what was reportedly the use of gauze in front of the camera. Cinematographer Rudolf Mate, one of the greatest cameramen of all-time, deserves as much credit as Dreyer for this monumental work. VAMPYR is one of three supreme masterpieces by this supreme cinematic genius, along with THE PASSION OF JOAN OF ARC and THE DAY OF WRATH. A fourth film, ORDET, pushes close. The print, especially considering the film’s age, is exquisite, and Criterion has given this the consumate treatment it deserves. It will be interesting to see what the UK’s equivalent to Criterion, the esteemed MASTERS OF CINEMA, does with their own release of VAMPYR next month. I for one will be double-dipping.
The other big Criterion out today is the long-awaited remaster of Akira Kuosawa’s seminal and brooding noirish-like thriller HIGH AND LOW. The first Criterion incarnation, several years back was one of their weaker “quality-control” efforts and this new transfer has fully restored the widescreen glory of this black and white 1962 film, that many consider one of the director’s masterpieces. Partly an indictment of executive prowess, part kinapping tale and part police-procedural, the pointedly satiric and existential film has one of the great endings in the pantheon of world cinema. There is anifty audio commentary with Kuosawa and scholar Stephen Prince,rare videointerviews with Toshiro Mifune, and a 37 minute documentary on the making of the film. I particularly like the booklet included,as there are some fine thematic treatments. This DVD is a must-buy.
The Facets Region 1 release of Bela Tarr’s 90’s masterpiece SATANTANGO, a stunning existential and political film,which is rightfully lauded as one of cinema’s most probing, challenging and complex works,not the least of which is its 7 hour running length, is here with us this week in a transfer that (sadly) does not match the Region 2 Artificial Eye set that has been around since last year, I don’t own the new release, but have had the AE eye since it released,so I’ll stay pat. I do believe that Evan Derrick owns this Facets release and Iook forward to a quality report from him at some point, if he would be so kind. How great a film is SATANTANGO? Well, among 90’s cinema it ranks right up there with Kieslowski’s RED and THE DOUBLE LIFE OF VERONIQUE and Spielberg’s SCHINDLER’S LIST, among a few others.
Jean-Pierre Melville fans must at least take notice of today’s Region 1 Lionsgate release of his final (and admittedly weAkest) film, UN FLIC (Dirty Money) But no true completist would want to pass it up, as it is most watchable and it does have some buffo sequences, even if the overall quality is admittedly uneven. I am waiting for my copy, so I don’t have a transfer quality report, but Lionsgate does very nice work.
Bruno Dumont’s LA VIE DE JESUS releases on a deluxe MASTERS OF CINEMA DVD today,and as I think it ranks with HUMANITE among Dumont’s better films,it may be worth a pick-up. As a collector of all MOC editions, I guess I must consider it, but I do have a fine netflix-burned Region 1 copy. It is hardly a great film, but its still sociologically quite interesting. I hated Dumont’s TWENTY-NINE PALMS, (vacuous and hopelessly pretentious) but that’s another story.
Finally last (but by no means least!!) is the long-delayed Region 2 Artificial Eye set SATYAJIT RAY COLLECTION VOLUME 1. One of this Indian master’s greatest films (and hence one of the greatest films in all of world cinema, and one of my personal favorites, nearing or matching the greatness of PATHER PANCHALI) is the humanist and emotionally devastating CHARULATA, which shoots a bulls-eye through the heart. The set, which offers a written disclaimer on the package of unavoidable subpar quality due to poor Indian storing facilities, would be worth it for CHARULATA alone. The Indian actress who plays the lead gives one of the great performances in all of Indian cinema.
Also in the set is another excellent Ray film, MAHANAGAR (“The Big City”) and one of his weaker, but still worthwhile efforts, NAYAK (“The Hero”) Another set, Volume 2, is imminent, but this first set is a must for cinema lovers. It was none-other than Akira Kurosawa himselfwho gave the most glowing estimation of this great Indian filmaker: “To have not seen the films of Ray is tolive in the world and not see the sun and the moon.”
Ray was one of humanism’s iconic figures.
So, while this was bad week for recent releases of early year-films, it will go down as a spectacular week for world cinema without any doubt. Well, I used to have a few extra bucks in my pocket. Where did it all go?
As a brief extension to my above post, I would add that the Jim Sturgess-Kevin Spacey casino/morality confection, 21, also releases on the commercial track today. I saw this film in the theatre earlier this year, and while it is really junk, it is one of those guilty-pleasure kind of things. Spacey is typical, the story is preposterous, but Sturgess plays an appealing character. It rates a 2/5, methinks. Even lower than that would be negative overkill.
A new two-disc reissue of Hector Babenco’s THE KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN (3/5) is also on the shelves today–I’m in no rush for that— and a first-time Warner DVD of an old film noir (1941) that marries the genre with Jazz—-Anatole Litvak’s BLUES IN THE NIGHT. Litvak, whose big cinematic moment was MAYERLING (1936–a very good film) received decent enough reviews for this effort, a film that I haven’t seen yet. I will probably pick up this DVD, it’s cheap enough.
OK, I will cease being a blowhard now. LOL!!!!
Changing momentarily from DVDs to THE DARK KNIGHT, I feel I must mention that I just finished reading Alexander Coleman’s THE DARK KNIGHT review at his site “Coleman’s Corner in Cinema.” I must say I am completely blown away with how someone can come up with something like this–it is extraordinary is every way, a descriptive delight and sensory read that gives us bloggers one of the supreme treatments of the film. Read it now, and immerse yourself in top-drawer DARK KNIGHT literature, and re-live your theatrical experience again. It is really an awesome review.
As usual, I was unable to post at the site (lamentably) so I issue my rave reaction here at the friendly offices of LIC.
I haven’t even heard of these last two, but Amalric’s stock is pretty high right now. For that matter, everything French is.
Also out today is the complete series R1 release of the Brit comedy Spaced, from Edgar Wright, Jessica Hynes, and Simon Pegg (of Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz fame). This is the first time the series has been released in Region 1 and there are a TON of extras, including commentaries on every episode and guest commentaries with notables such as Quentin Tarantino, Diablo Cody, and Patton Oswalt.
If you haven’t seen Spaced and you enjoyed either of those movies, then do yourself a favor and check out one of the discs from your local rental place. Quite funny and entertaining stuff.
I saw SPACED and didn’t much care for it I’m afraid. But my British friend who visited me for three weeks back in October, insisted I watch his Region 2 set, (with him looking on as well) which he brought over from the U.K. He has been busting me over this opinion for many months now. LOL! The UK Region 2 set has comparable extras. Maybe my biggest problem is I found SHAUN OF THE DEAD and HOT FUZZ rather insipid, despite some successful sequences.
But I appear to be in the minority.
Oh, well then avoid Spaced, Sam, because it’s from the same folks and it’s the same style of humor. No need to waste your time.
I have been able to secure a copy from a Region 2 DVD that is out there now of a British film named HALLEM FOE, that will release in NY and LA on September 8th. The film, which deals with voyeurism, had received very impressive reviews in the U.K. I plan to watch it later today.
Oh I already saw it Joel (above post……LOL) but I agree with you in that it is highly unlikely that one could like it if they don’t like those two films. Oddly enough though I generally love British humor, but just not this kind.
Thanks, Sam, both for the massive rundown of the classic DVD releases this week and for the very kind words for my review. Very sorry you’re unable to comment there right now. Frustrating…
Tying this subject and the departing Roeper together, at the end of this week’s show with Michael Phillips, Roeper recommended everyone see 21 as it was coming out, and Phillips recommended High and Low. I don’t have too much of a problem with a major critic not havnig seen High and Low by now, but the way Roeper went about seemingly proud of his ignornace in the matter kind of demonstrated just how awful he was in so many different ways.
I’m glad you brought up Spaced, Joel. I haven’t had the pleasure but I’m a fan of Shaun and Hot Fuzz.
Jeff, it wasn’t so much that the movie went over the top, it just went over the top with bad special effects and it kind of ruined it for me. Nevertheless, I liked the beginning and the final scene, hence it gets a nod.
Sam, it looks like we’re on different pages regarding Last Winter and Spaced, but thank your for your DVD rundown. I haven’t seen Un Flic, but we were just talking about Alain Delon yesterday…
Un Flic is not top-tier Melville in the least, but Delon helps hold it toether. Interesting how Delon keeps popping up here. His performances were always so similar to and different from each other at the same time in a way that is rather unique.
True Alexander, Delon is quite deserving of the discourse.
Back briefly to The Last Winter, Sam, I don’t know why you’re comparing it to The Blair Witch Project – the two films really have very little in common. I also thought the performances in it were generally pretty good, especially Ron Perlman, who I like in just about everything.
That’s all for now.
Jeff, THE LAST WINTER’S director Larry Fessenden openly admitted in a question and answer session after the 7:45 PM show at the IFC (one I attended) that “The Blair Witch Project” greatly influenced his film in the “overwhelming sense of dread” he tried to project. But the sudden jolts that emanate in the story near the end, and use of the hand-held camera are other devices that strongly recall THE BLAIR WITCH, a point that was not lost on critic after critic in their summary reviews.
Of course the settings are diverse–one in the woods, and the other at the Arctic in frozen tunra–and THE LAST WINTER is about ecology and global warming in his essense, but for me Mr. Fessenden’s film was highly derivative of not only THE BLAIR WITCH, but also of John Carpenter’s the thing. But unlike the latter, it had no bite and wasn’t scary, only tedious.
Sure, but ‘being influenced’ and using handheld aren’t the same thing as using a movie as ‘an artistic model’. The two movies are still more different than they are similar and I think calling it ‘highly derivative’ is inaccurate.
I didn’t read a lot of reviews of this movie but if a lot of people mentioned Blair Witch, I’d say they were incorrect also.
One more point, Jeff. I agree with you on Mr. Perlman, he was the one actor who gave a commendable performance.
Yeah, but when the director openly admits in front of a theatre audience that THE BLAIR WITCH greatly influenced his film, would you dispute that??? The critics were simply evincing acknowledgement of Mr. Fessenden’s own admission. Fessenden subsequently stated the the “overpowering sense of dread” was his main thrust and that BLAIR WITCH provided him with the model to emulate.
That’s exactly why I call it derivative.
Just to add one last point: I am a fan of John Carpenter’s THE THING, even if I consider BALIR WITCH as rubbish—gimicky and disposable.
Let me repeat that there’s a difference between something ‘influencing’ a film and something being ‘an artistic model’. The St. Francisville Experiment and Cloverfield are movies that can accurately claim to have used Blair Witch as ‘artistic models’ because they’re all basically the same movie – first-person handheld camera work in a scary, unpredictable setting. The Last Winter isn’t shot first-person or documentary-style and is about a lot of things beyond being lost in the wilderness. I’m sure Fessenden mentioned BWP because it is indeed one of the most influential horror movies of the last ten years, but a creator’s comments always have to take a back seat to what the primary source – the film itself – actually tells and shows you.
I intend to check THE LAST WINTER-but the problems you guys have with it were my problems also with Fessenden’s WENDIGO-which seemed to be setting something up only to go virtually nowhere. I never saw HABIT, any better?
I would agree with that – Wendigo seemed to have a lot more set-up and a lot less pay-off than I would have liked.
Jeff, you are playing with semantics now. Using something as an artistic model surely must mean INFLUENCE by any standard of measurement?!?
I think the creator is who allows us to interpret what we do read and transcribe from a film. If I am to believe what you are now saying, then I should believe THE LAST WINTER wasn’t created by anyone–it just materialized out of nothing.
I already stated earlier that THE LAST WINTER was specifically in a thematic sense about global warming and ecological intrusion.
I’m just saying ‘influence’ is a lesser degree than ‘artistic model’ or ‘derivative’. For example, I think There Will Be Blood was influenced by The Shining, Giant, and Chinatown, but I don’t think any of those three movies served as an ‘artistic model’ for it, not in the same way you could say Citizen Kane, Treasure of the Sierra Madre, or Greed probably were.
My point is that I see very little Blair Witch in The Last Winter, and that ‘overpowering sense of dread’ is too vague and generic of a concept to attribute to a single influential movie, as if the BWP makers had invented it.
Last, I think it’s an accepted tenet of film or literary criticism that you can allow the filmmaker/author to inform your reaction to their work, but that it can be misleading to consider their interpretations of the work too highly. An author’s public statements can often be distorted ,or hesitant, or deliberately misleading. You have to react to what’s on the screen primarily.
I disagree with your middle paragraph as I don’t find the overwhelming sense as vague at all–it was the entire underpinning of the way was presented, and BLAIR WITCH was written all over it all the way up to that jolt that never really worked anyway. But there is nothing to be said there, we can only agree to disagree.
I agree with everything you say in paragraph 1 of your last post here and there is surely some reason in your final paragraph, if I don’t completely concur.
I guess I just think the Blair Witch Project’s ‘overwhelming sense of dread’ to be a very specific type of emotion, something like being trapped in a Grimm fairy tale and totally dislocated from any proper grounding or sense of safety, which was not quite the same flavor I got from this movie.
The question I think is at what point does a film that is influenced by another become derivative?
Other than its low budget and it’s technique of implying rather than showing, I didn’t get a huge whiff of Blair Witch off of Last Winter…at least not to the point I’d say it’s a rip off.
That’s not to say you’re wrong for disliking the film, Sam. I’m just not sure I completely buy your angle of attack.
Chuck, I haven’t seen Wendigo or Habit, so I can’t compare, but yeah it sounds like I’d have the same problem (with Wendigo at least) as I had with Last Winter.
Fair enough Craig, perhaps “rip-off” is too strong an accusation, as nothing is pat here. But in the way the film was conceived, in trying to build jolts from what is mainly “implied” than actually seen and how it ultimately played out I sensed the “spirit” of the earlier film running through most of LAST WINTER’S running time. I acknowledge however that the film is not interpreted that way by everybody.
‘Implied rather than seen’ goes all the way back to Cat People, if not further.
Good question,Craig. Usually I’d say that the influenced vs. derivative line would be ‘as long as you’re not annoyed, it’s okay’ but I can think of movies that were obviously derivative but still entertained me, and vice versa so that can’t be it.
I was going to mention Cat People, but I don’t want to gang up on Sam :)
I will say that I think my not being engaged by a film exposes a film’s flaws more often than a film’s flaws cause me not to be engaged by a film…if that makes any sense.
In reasonable measure, bad dialogue or corny acting or a predictable plot or even derivative filmmaking are not deal breakers, but if I’m not enjoying a film, those things stick out. of course, the combination of those factors could easily lead to me not enjoying a film, but I’m looking for reasons here why sometimes we like films that are technically bad.
No, that makes perfect sense, Craig, depending on the film of course. For example, I’d say that Cloverfield was extremely derivative, but if I had liked it, I would have been happy to write that off and ignore it. Death Proof is obviously derivative of a bunch of things but I love it so I don’t care.
I know it probably sounds a little strange but usually if a filmmaker is making his (or her) film consciously derivative of past films in their own way (stylistically, thematically, what have you) and they weave it into their movie with grace and intelligence, I’m naturally inclined to think, “Interesting/that’s good/clever,” etceteras. When you find out that it’s backed up by an actual statement–like say, David Fincher noting the similarities between All the President’s Men and Zodiac–you can take it more thoroughly to heart, or be credulous about it (though I agree that it’s always prudent to not necessarily trust the artist’s direct, straightforward statements, either–in fact, they may be and often are the last person whose word you should take as sacrosanct in these and other matters).
Tarantino, though, is a different animal, and I expect his films to be derivative of movies he loves and enjoys watching.
I am a huge fan for over almost 40 years of Val Lewton’s films, and have seen both CAT PEOPLE and I WALKED WITH A ZOMBIE over 60 times each in my life. I know all about the “implied and not seen” moniker that Lewton employed through all his directors in those films, and I that this particular style actually was perfected in these two as well as in THE LEOPARD MAN, THE SEVENTH VICTIM, THE CURSE OF THE CAT PEOPLE and even in the long-unseen GHOST SHIP (now released.)
The definitive scholarly treatise of Lewton is the superb “Vail Lewton: The Veil Terror” by Joel E. Siegel (not the deceased film critic) in which this device is examined within the context of the individual films.
Jeff, I hated CLOVERFIELD as well, but if I would have liked it, I would not have fully accepted that it is derivative. I am not so sure you can have it both ways.
Alexander, I understand where you are coming from, but it is VERY hard not to take some kind of heed when a director tells a packed theatre that he basically has THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT in mind when he made THE LAST WINTER. If he was conciosusly or unconsciously trying to emulate BLAIR WITCH, well then we must at least take that into consideration for something here. If it turned out that it didn’t have resemblences fine, but I saw them and so did a vast majrity of the critics. They can’t all be wrong.
Am I coming on too strong? I hope not. You are one of my favorite people here!
Sam, have you seen Val Lewton: A Man in the Shadows? I tried to catch it at AFI last year but the timing was alwasy off. I heard it was pretty good though.
Jeff, those are good examples because I disliked Cloverfield and loved Death Proof.
Sam are you saying you didn’t find Cloverfield derivative, or are you saying you would not have enjoyed it no matter what because it was derivative?
If it’s the latter, I see what you’re saying, but that’s what I was getting at earlier. Sometimes a movie does enough things right that I’m willing to let other issues, like a lack of originality, slide.
John Carpenter’s The Thing in fact was derivative of other movies, Alien for example, yet I love it.
Of course, that film plays the Kurt Russell card which is almost an automatic for me (as long as film doesn’t also play the Goldie Hawn card).
Craig, it is the latter, but there is admittedly a disclaimer with that position. CLOVERFIELD was a very bad film and it was derivative, so there was no redemption. While there were elements in THE THING that were derivative, it also bore some distinct originality.
Yes, Craig indeed I have seen that Lewton doc and it is quite good!!!!
Alexander: To expound further on that wonderful continuing thread at Awards Daily, I would like to say that the major reason I loved EMPIRE OF THE SUN so much, and like you considered it the best film of 1987 (Dorothy Porker chimed in too and said she loved it) is because I was moved on an emotional level that I had not been to that point. And there is nothing in the movies as great as the exhiliarating emotional high.
There were TWO other films that year that moved me deeply as well, in fact nearly as much, and both are truly great films:
Claude Berri’s JEAN DE FLORETTE
John Boorman’s HOPE AND GLORY
I almost tear just thinking of them.
I certainly see what you’re saying, Sam; I wasn’t really taking a position with regards to The Last Winter as I sort of see both sides, but like you say, it’s next to impossible to disregard the director’s intent in that case.
Those are emotionally rich films, Sam. Babette’s Feast from that year hit me pretty hard, and I only recently saw it, this past Easter, actually.
Empire of the Sun gains even more emotional weight if you see it in a theatre as I did about fifteen months ago. Just overpowering.
I’m on my way out, but it’s a good discussion…
Yes it is thank you my friend.
“The Last Winter” ? Really?
Can you explain the Ghost Moose to me? Or even what the cause of all the trouble was? Click my name if you want to read my mean review. I hated it.
But Fessenden’s first movie — “Habit” — is well worth seeing, a low-key thriller about a NYC drunk who’s set upon by a woman who may or may not be a vampire. It’s moody, makes great use of its limited budget and may be the only movie I can think of that features a leading man who’s missing one of his front teeth all through the film.
Hahaha…that’s exactly where I checked out Harvey, but I swear up to that point he was on to somehting. And the ending was kind of great…if it had been attached to a completely different movie.
I haven’t seen Habit, doesn’t it star Fessenden himself in the lead?
Harvey, in my opinion, a Ghost Moose doesn’t need explaining. It abides.
I wouldn’t call Empire of the Sun my favorite film of 1987, but I would call it one of the three or four best, for sure, definitely an underrated Spielberg title.
If you consider EMPIRE among the three or four best of 1987, well then that’s fair enough.
Harvey, I clicked on your name, but other reviews appeared, not the one for THE LAST WINTER, oddly.
DVD STREET DATES JUST ANNOUNCED:
Paranoid Park October 7
Speed Racer September 16
and Luis Bunuel’s Nazarin in September on Lionsgate–first time on Region 1
I can see why you’re not familar with Rillonia – it’s the the homeland of Teddy. Through most of the series action takes place in Grundo. It may be odd that I like and know about Teddy Ruxpin – but I’m an 80’s child.