This message has been deleted.
-
franzkabuki — 14 years ago(November 02, 2011 06:58 PM)
"The only good thing with it was Sam Neills acting".
Its one of the most awful performances by any male lead actor outside of an Ed Wood movie, ever - all Neill does is mumble incoherently, stumble about and pull all manner of idiotic faces; there isnt a single scene in the whole film where he doesnt suck; he looks and generally comes across as Jeremy Ironss talentless younger brother or something. Of course, Adjani also goes too far off the map occasionally, but overall I guess her hysterical histrionics look just about passable (although no less annoying for it). It appears to me that the film in its entirety is tonally at least somewhat off most of the time - the yelling and violent assaults on various objects of furniture begin soon and abruptly and hardly ever cease. I think Zulawski got the psychological reality of his characters quite straight only occasionally - mostly its so overwrought as to be distracting and almost comical. Still think at least some degree of restraint is vital in rendering the horrors horrible enough.
The above dont mean that I hate the movie though as in the majority of aspects its very well made and quite compelling - most notably the photography & the mostly fluid, effortlessly gliding camerawork are great. Also, the concept of Cronenbergian exotic creatures and Lynchian doppelgngers is handled almost as organically & intelligently as the two abovementioned gentlemen handle them in their work. And whenever theres a more quiet moment, a certain poignancy starts stealing in and the tragic undertone of it all grows to something fairly haunting by the end. And WHAT ending it is - absolutely brilliant, a true aesthetic tour de force. Too bad so much of the film was wasted on the wacko histrionics of the leads (and also - wtf was up with Heinrichs retarded behaviour in the corridor when he pays a visit to Neill - and the same with that blond woman with her foot in a cast did they wander onto a wrong set or what, thinking theyre required to perform in some goofy vaudeville or something?) Overall, upon this one viewing, Id rate it 7/10. Maybe itll grow on me with a second viewing or maybe then not, as its probably quite impossible not to be irritated by the constant yelling.
"facts are stupid things" - Ronald Reagan -
lastyear11 — 14 years ago(January 28, 2012 05:28 PM)
Actually all the performances are terrible. Adjani gives probably the worst performace of her career. I saw it with an audience that was laughing at her over the top hysterics. I haven't seen such over the top stuff since Joan Crawford.
-
kerchable — 14 years ago(January 29, 2012 06:04 PM)
Certainly have spent 2 hours doing/watching better material, the overacting was irksome. I get it, very traumatic to be involved with a monster. But to have my spouse sign up?they'll all crazy to start with. No wonder that Wall was shown, to keep marriage-breaking monsters out of the East and in the West where they could be critiqued without a bullet to the head.