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- Written by: Rod Boyle
- Category: Film
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This, a peculiar Polish masterpiece from 1973. Based upon Bruno Shulz's "Sanatorium Under the Sign of the Hourglass.", which I'm not sure I have or haven't read; but the story revolves loosely around a man going to visit his father in a Sanatorium where the ordinary rules of time don't apply. Fantastical sets, Art-Nouveau in ruins, covered in spiderwebs and dust, the halls of memory, tied up trunks and bureaus, a graveyard with ravening wolves, examination rooms in surreal decay, inexplicable incidents...it becomes a parable of memory, the pretext of visiting his father leads him to relive and reexamine various stages of his life, the aesthetic alone makes it worth the watch, the opening train ride (a conductor leading any number of lost souls), the crowds of people - active or silent, frozen in time, it reminds you of a live action version of The Quay Brothers "Street of Crocodiles" (also by Bruno Schulz), or a darker, more surreal Jodorowski; rooms (memories) are entered, left, and then sealed behind, doors opening up to surreal tableaux, his father surrounded by bare-breasted flappers and prostitutes digressing upon Steak and Mushrooms, the stuff of indigestion and bad dreams...
A surreal masterpiece. You can read the wiki here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hourglass_Sanatorium
or watch it on YouTube here (for free!!!): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8nHhstKtEA
Note: The YouTube version is low res and the colours are so-so. This could benefit from a restoration.
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- Written by: Rod Boyle
- Category: Film
- Hits: 412
Pretty sure I reviewed this before, only I can't seem to find it...
Anyways, I watched this again. And I remembered most of it, forgot some of it, but I was as impressed as when I saw it the first time.
He's absolutely brilliant. And - I love the fusion of magic & stagecraft, of a narrative built around special and practical effects, I love how there's really only him on stage, maybe a sound and a lighting guy, and certainly a few backstage helpers, but he delivers.
It's theme is on identity, and the emotional resonances he strikes with the audience, well, there were a few times when I was wiping a tear from my eye. This I would have flown to New York to see. And consider his audience included Bill Gates, Jon Lovett, David Blaine, Marina Abramović, Susan Sarandon, etc, etc.
You can download it, or find it somewhere to watch online. Please do, you won't be disappointed.
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- Written by: Rod Boyle
- Category: Film
- Hits: 390
So finished up the Binge watch on this. Better than expected, some original interpretations and an appropriate amount of justifiable confusion.
Good, in the sense that I'm looking at old material through new eyes, good in that I suspect it might be somewhat a satire on the current state of affairs, with the Gods of Olympus replaced by tech bros Bezos, Musk & Zuckerberg (or not?) - it's openness to interpretation is a strength, not a weakness. The tragedy/comedy of Gods in our own image, played out upon the screen, a subject I'm surprised Yorgos Lanthimos didn't undertake - although if he should choose to I would definitely watch.
I was surprised that Eurydice didn't love Orpheus, it had occurred to me, a long time ago, and then again I had dismissed it as inconceivable, in that same voice from "The Princess Bride", and then again and perhaps it is true?
And while I have my own interpretations that is not what I'm getting, and being challenged is always a good thing.
So, very good, curious, interesting, a surprise as far as Netflix goes...
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- Written by: Rod Boyle
- Category: Film
- Hits: 357
This, a new series that contemporizes Greek Mythology (sets it in a current-day parallel universe), starring Jeff Goldblum as Zeus and narrated by Prometheus (Stephen Dillane).
Amusing, very well done, not the "10 Stars" the reviews have been giving it - It kind of is impossible to contemporize ancient beliefs and Gods, but it presents it in a way that is probably more accessible to a less classical audience.
AN episode and a half in, I'm not sure I'll stick out the whole series but we'll see.
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- Written by: Rod Boyle
- Category: Film
- Hits: 384
This was the quirky indy film of the week. Another film that shows the triumph of creativity and writing over budget.
Good. I loved the premise, the execution, was a little dissatisfied at the ending but that - given the setup - was predictable.
I mean, I was curious enough to watch that I paid the $6.78 cents that Google charged me, which is a pretty rare thing.
The premise, that a grieving widower finds a dubious Shaman to help him learn to "leave the old world behind" and learn to fly - well, that was intriguing enough...
You can watch the trailer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgllsUTlZfc