Jacques Becker isn't one of the most famous french directors, despite severall very good films and "Casque d'or", which could be considered as a national treasure!
The film was inspired by real facts, which took place in early 20th century in Paris, and by one real character, whose nickname gave the film's title. She was a prostitute, famous for being very beautiful, and a gangster, probably his pimp was sentenced to death, after having killed a man, who took a little too much interest in Casque d'Or.
The film has a very simple plot, text isn't very abondant, but pictures are exceptionally beautiful. Most of the characters are prostitutes or "apaches" as french gangsters were called a century ago. They speak in a language that hardly exists anymore, sort of parisian slang, that sounds almost posh today...
Actors are well known, but a lot of people remember Signoret as a fat and very tired old woman, and Reggiani as a singer. For those who don't know Signoret as a gorgeous young actress, I advise them to watch the film. She is the film, from the beginning to the end.
No one either cries or complains, even when the worst happens, life being unfairly difficult, and poverty and violence just being the normal surrounding.
Casque d'Or is very modern, in an unfortunate manner, because things haven't changed so much...
This is a sad but not depressed film, because women stay there, they are hope.
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I'm a huge fan of dystopian movies like this one. It reminds me a great deal on Carpenter's „They live“ and in some segments on Orwell's „1984“. I'll elaborate this. Both „They live“ and „1984“ use fictional plot to detect some of the most important issues in contemporary world. For Carpenter that's capitalism in it's worst and for Orwell it's a totalitarian society, like communism for example. This movie precedes „They live“ and it possibly influences Carpenter but it comes after „1984“ and bares some resemblance. For example I understood this movie as a metaphor for communist society, or rather, the fear of communist society and what would happen if we lived in such a world. The plants from outer space thereby represent the „red danger“, they infiltrate our homes and our lives turning us into something else, something that looks like us but it aint us. It's power is in numbers, in masses, and in the illusion that everything is normal. This way they can easily transform everyone into a human shaped shell. Once they control the communications and authorities it's almost impossible to stop them.
This is the way that every ideology is distributed, whether we are talking about capitalism or communism, they both use strong and subtle propaganda and relay on masses to be the bearers of their message.
In one point during the conversation between our main character and his „turned“ friend, his friend is urging him to join them because he will be: „…reborn into an untroubled world…where everybody's the same“. He also says: „Love, desire, ambition, fate, without them life's so simple“. We can see here some of the basic premises of communist society as they were seen by the capitalist western world during the cold war period. And the main character represents here a liberated western man, who refuses to live life without emotions and in subordination, which is thought to be like in communist countries.What is great, on the other hand, the other side of the medal is also questioned in this movie. Main character is indeed a true patriotic citizen of USA and defends all what the American dream stands for, but comes across no understanding from most people around him. At the end he's having a tough time stopping somebody on the highway to help him get away, and the doctors want to put him in the mental institution. He is highly alienated and there is no way to prove what he is talking about. Every attempt to show that there is something wrong with the system is claimed insane, just as he agreed in the beginning: it's all a collective neurosis. But this neurosis, caused by „what is going on in the world“ is dismissed as illusions, or rather something unusual, not normal; even though it pinpoints the problem that actually exists. If we take a closer look of what's going around the world today we may see how every kind of protest against neoliberal capitalism is dismissed as the work of neo – communists, hippies, lazy people or something else like that, while in fact the protesters introduce urgent issues such as monopoly of the banks, health care or education.
So, although filmed in 1956, I think that this movie is still very good piece of work, important for understanding of global tensions today, as I thought of „They live“ or „1984“. And it has a great uncertain and uncomfortable ending. Or you can watch it as another black and white sci – fi movie and wait until you go to sleep, thinking that the morning won't change anything.
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Steven Spilbergs “Jaws” is truly a groundbreaking movie in every aspect of the word. I watched it last night for at least thirtieth time and was again amazed how great and fresh the movie is. It changed a lot in terms of marketing and movie distribution as well as in thriller – suspense genre. And a lot of it came from malfunctioning equipment and compensating the original ideas, but for the best.
Alongside “Duel”, “Jaws” is my favourite Spilberg movie because it shows what the film making is all about. Great character development trough the entire movie, great acting and great story – telling accompanied with brilliant usage of camera makes this movie unforgettable in cinema history, while Bruce makes you remember it all so clearly if you swam further from the shore than you planed on some drunken summer night. Character of Quint is great and it truly resembles captain Ahab in his obsession and devotion to catch this man – eating monster against the odds and capabilities of his fellows on board of “Orca”. I usually don’t like it in other movies, but he also functions as a comic relief in stressful situations even though he is this grumpy old man with a lot of fisherman stories in his bones. He is for me the strongest character in this movie alongside great Schneider’s chief Brody. What I also consider very good in this movie is the portrayal of human nature when it comes to decisions which include money and human lives on the opposite sides on the scale of interest, and the hypocrisy of provincials towards “outsiders”.
Some jump scenes and overall suspense make this movie a true horror flick but what you recall the most is the simple but terrifying score by John Williams which precedes every shark attack. The absence of shark footage, due mentioned mechanical failures, contribute also to chilling atmosphere, because what you can’t see is always more scary than what’s in front of you. One thing I would change in this movie is all known happy ending, well at least for the majority of characters, so deeply rooted in Hollywood blockbuster horror tradition.
For this movie to have full effect I recommend to postpone viewing at least until June.
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Somewhere in “Swiss Transylvania” there is a “Richard Wagner’s international school for girls”. While the unpleasant Foehn wind is blowing and a serial killer strikes again, somewhat special girl comes to the school, unaware that she’ll solve the case. Well, with a little help of her friends.
The plot is quite original but what’s the thing for me in this movie is Argento’s brilliant usage of sound and build up of suspense from the very slow beginning to a very dynamic finish. Sound is what keeps you on the edge, especially if you’re Dario Argento fan, whether we are talking about film music or soundtrack. Iron Maiden’s “Flash of the Blade” functions great as our main character is snooping around where she shouldn’t and you know something is going to happen real soon. But when loud music stops and unpleasant silence kicks in that’s where you should expect real shit storm.
It must be said that this movie isn’t so much horror-ish as some other pieces by Argento but is equally thrilling and atmospheric. Except of some gore and explicit decapitation the real horror is happening in the place where cameras eye, (meaning yours too) can’t reach or in girls head. Main character has something similar to Carrie, being misunderstood and rejected by nearly all of her environment and with telekinetic powers that could easily take care of everyone in her way. If you want, you can find here perhaps questions of girl maturing into a woman, or some other growing up problematic that are hidden in sub-text. This wouldn’t take away any of the joy of watching this movie, it could only contribute.In conclusion I would say that this movie is more disturbing than it is scary, it is little slow in some parts and with minor plot holes but is nevertheless great piece of horror cinema, although not Argento in his best. Best choice for a warm windy night with speakers on maximum.
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(JAP - 2007)
Directed by Makoto Shinkai, with the voices of Kenji Mizuhashi, Yoshimi Kondou, Ayaka Onoue and Satomi Hanamura as the main characters, Byôsoku 5 Senchimêtoru - A Chain of Short Stories About their Distance, usually shortened to Byôsoku 5cm, is an anime divided into three parts and tells the story of three fellows: Takaki Tōno, Akari Shinohara and Sumida Kanae. As the subtitle already makes clear, it's a film about distance, about missing people, about friendship and, specially, about the opportunities we lose in life.
There's one important metaphor used in the film which is summed up in the title itself: "5 centimeters per second", the speed at which cherry blossoms fall, is said to be as well the speed at which two people can get separated from each other as life passes by.
"Cherry Blossom Story" is the title of the first sequence, when we get to know Takaki and Akari in childhood, contemplating the beauty of cherry trees and the spectacule of the blossoms falling and covering the whole ground of soft pink. In this sequence, older Akari moves to a different city and starts to exchange letters with Takaki. There's already a feeling of distance, they miss each other and sometimes they can't deny their relationship has changed. They set an appointment and try to meet in a train station - Takaki should take the train and Akari would wait for him - but Winter has came and the snow results in a more than 3 hour delay. "Has Takaki gave up on me?", "Is she still gonna be waiting for me when I get there?" are some of the most remarkable lines.
The second segment, called "Cosmonaut", is my favourite. The focus now is on a girl Takaki meets in high school, called Sumida. "He's so kind with me", she says, and as time goes by, she starts to develop a crush on him. But she also sadly notices Takaki has his mind in somewhere else, and even when he's looking at her he's thinking about another girl - Akari. There are some visually astonishing, breathtaking sequences in this part, where Takaki and Akari meet "in his dreams", in a scenery which is the materialization of the title of the segment. Takaki starts to feel the weight of the absence on his shoulders, as he slowly loses touch with Akari. Sumida, on the other hand, has to decide whether she's going to tell Takaki about her feelings or trying to forget everything. I never seem to be able to stop my tears no matter how many times I watch Sumida's decision scene.
The last segment - "5 centimeters per second" - portraits a grown up Takaki living a boring life in a big city. He goes out with some girls now and then, trying to finally forget Akari, but keeps mentally waiting for her signs. He discovers something about her which breakes his heart and, after that, they even have the opportunity to meet, but how will they react after so many years without seeing each other? It's Spring again and the cherry blossoms are falling, will that be enough to reunite two hearts which were separated by destiny? Or is it just the sign the distance between them is no longer trespassable?
The music played during ending credits (as it's usual for Makoto Shinkai's works) relates to the story and has a little videoclip showing some of the best sequences. It's not a song I listen to very often (I find a bit too cheesy), but it fits very well to the atmosphere of the film and completes its experience.I think it's very difficult not to feel touched by this film, specially if you ever had to move to a different city or a very close friend or relative did so. The soundtrack, the visuals and the way it is built makes Byôsoku 5cm unique. It is short (63 minutes long), but the impressions it leaves might last for weeks or even months.
