2018以戲服人集合 - 動靜皆宜

_Wall-E

http://www.emockedlaw.blogspot.com/2018/07/wall-e-part-1-last-bot-on-earth.html

_{http://www.emockedlaw.blogspot.com/2018/12/wall-e-part-2.html}

_{Red Desert (Antonioni)}

_{http://www.emockedlaw.blogspot.com/2018/02/red-desert-part-1.html}

_{http://www.emockedlaw.blogspot.com/2018/03/red-desert-part-2.html}

_{2001: A Space Odyssey (Kubrick)}

_{http://www.emockedlaw.blogspot.com/2018/01/2001-space-odyssey-quantum-leap.html}

_{http://www.emockedlaw.blogspot.com/2018/06/2001-space-odyssey-what-hal.html}

_{Last Tango in Paris (Bertolucci)}

_{http://www.emockedlaw.blogspot.com/2018/04/last-tango-in-paris-part-1.html}

http://www.emockedlaw.blogspot.com/2018/04/last-tango-in-paris-part-2.html

_{Akira (Otomo)}

http://www.emockedlaw.blogspot.com/2018/08/akira.html

_{The Conformist (Bertolucci)}

_{http://www.emockedlaw.blogspot.com/2018/05/the-conformist-part-1.html}

_{http://www.emockedlaw.blogspot.com/2018/05/the-conformist-part-2.html}

Predator (McTiernen)

_{http://www.emockedlaw.blogspot.com/2018/09/predator.html}

_{The House That Jack Built (von Trier)}

_{http://www.emockedlaw.blogspot.com/2018/05/the-house-that-jack-built.html}

_{Die Hard (McTiernen)}

_{http://www.emockedlaw.blogspot.com/2018/08/die-hard.html}

_{Day of Wrath (Dreyer)}

http://www.emockedlaw.blogspot.com/2018/04/day-of-wrath.html

_{The Hunt for Red October (McTiernen)}

_{http://www.emockedlaw.blogspot.com/2018/08/the-hunt-for-red-october.html}

The Silence (Bergman)

_{http://www.emockedlaw.blogspot.com/2018/04/the-silence.html}

_{Full Metal Jacket (Kubrick)}

_{http://www.emockedlaw.blogspot.com/2018/08/full-metal-jacket-part-1.html}

_{Cries and Whispers (Bergman)}

_{http://www.emockedlaw.blogspot.com/2018/12/cries-and-whispers-part-1.html} 

Possession (Zulawski)

_{http://www.emockedlaw.blogspot.com/2018/12/possession.html} 

_{The Other Side of the Wind (Welles)}

_{http://www.emockedlaw.blogspot.com/2018/09/orson-welles-other-side-of-wind.html} 

_{La Notte (Antonioni)}

_{http://www.emockedlaw.blogspot.com/2018/02/la-notte.html}

_{The Trial (Welles)}

_{http://www.emockedlaw.blogspot.com/2018/04/the-trial.html}

_{La Ronde (Ophuls)}

_{http://www.emockedlaw.blogspot.com/2018/01/la-ronde.html}

_{A Star is Born (Cooper)}

_{The Right Stuff (Kaufmann)}

http://www.emockedlaw.blogspot.com/2018/11/a-star-is-born.html

Enjoy your vacation! '以戲服人'在2019年再與大家見面!

by Ed Law

Film Analysis

Possession

Recently, a number of films with the great French actress Isabelle Adjani has been released again. Adjani is the rare kind of actress who has demonstrated that ability and beauty can fit so well together. Other than possessing a great look that anyone will never forget, Adjani has demonstrated tremendous talent through her performance, in particular very psychologically driven characters. Be it Camille Claudel, Adele Hugo, or Queen Margot, an Adjani character will leave a lasting impression in the audience's memory, due to her judicious choice of choosing roles and her intense drive and focus as an actress. As the only actress who has ever received 5 Cesar Awards, Adjani has an impressive portfolio that anyone who is passionate in cinema should go after. Yet, her most iconic performance is probably in a cult film , which is also very well known from mainstream audience - Possession (1981) !

Possession is a film full of surprise. While the film is certainly intended for arthouse cinema, it has achieved a cult status among mainstream audience. While the film appears to be a horror film, it is a cerebral film , and very rarely a performance from a horror film Adjani's memorable performance has been recognized by Cannes festival and other award for art films. I personally do not find Possession scary, though there are some genuinely gross out and disturbing moments, and the film has been banned in certain countries for 20 years ! Possession is the introduction to the cinema  of  Isabelle Adjani - once you are 'possessed'  by this cult classic, you will find yourself in an obsession with Adjani's gift for acting and watch her films one after and another !

The name of the film has two layers of related meanings. From the context of the film, it means possessed by the evil. Yet, we can also understand the meaning in a more common meaning of the word - that of ownership. The tragic consequence is due to the fatc that the two main characters see each other as a 'possession'- with an obsession and desire to 'own' the other and control the other. Obsession is different from love, because love is based on respect and a consideration of the other's feelings, while obsession is more one-sided and merely served to fuel one's desire for control and satisfaction. Even the plot of a satanic intervention can provide much sensation and macabre for the story, I feel that it is the psychological aspect of the story that makes it terrifying...

(To be continued)

by Ed Law

Film Analysis

Cries and Whispers

Can the serenity of everyday life undermine the darkness that threatens to haunt all of us? Can the institution of family control the rawest desire and emotions that are inherent to any human beings? When you are faced with the bleakest and most inhuman moments that is nonetheless fundamental to our existence, would you choose to turn away from those, or have the courage to admit our weaknesses? As I have always maintained, the truths of humanity will only emerge at the most extreme situations, when the instinct for self-preservation rules over any notions of the polite society and cultural machine. That is indeed the wonderful aspect about cinema, which represents a chance to provide all these hypothetical scenarios to provoke our thoughts. All these themes are brilliantly explored in my favorite European film of all time - Ingmar Bergman's 'Cries And Whispers'!

If you have read my previous articles, you would probably have noticed ‘Cries and Whispers’ has already been mentioned many times. Now is the time to have a formal introduction of this film. It is fair to say that I have fallen in love with the film since I first watched it many years ago, because the film is so one-of-a-kind and fantastic in many aspects. Not only it deals with and presents the issues of human nature in an inspiring manner, it also presents some of the most memorable visual images ever in film. Be warned that while the film appears like a ‘chick flick’ about 4 women, it is probably one of the most emotionally intense films in cinema history, and the images in the film will imprint and haunt your minds even a long time you have watched it. I think ‘Cries and Whispers’ is kind of a chilling film, because the more you think about that, the more you can identify with the film and it is totally possible that the scenarios in the story can take place in real life. Though it is in no way a horror film, the darkness of humanity portrayed in ‘Cries And Whispers’ will make your heart pound more than any of those ‘cheap-scare’ movies nowadays. The beauty of ‘Cries and Whispers’, as one may appreciate from the title, lies in its inherent contrast – while it is a very stylized film in terms of form and narrative, it also bears relevance to the audience because of its stark realism.

The story took place in a mansion in the 19th century, and concerned 4 women, Karin, Maria, Agnes, who were siblings; and Anna, their maid. Agnes, due to a weak health, was dying from cancer. Did this crisis draw the family closer together? Unfortunately, no. Karin and Maria, while having contrasting characters, were emotionally distant to Agnes and reluctantly came back to the mansion to take care of her. While bearing with the negative aspect of death and decay, they also had to confront their own personal problems, and the relationships between each other. Only Anna, who had a religious faith, was emphatic and could be able to console Agnes, who was already bombarded with tremendous physical pain and mental anguish (which is pretty nasty to see on screen). Bergman presented the story in a very stylized and formalized way. He divided the story into parts, and each part was concerned with one of the characters,  and provided insights on that character and how she has come to possess such a personality. Though the most memorable moments of the film were often concerned with the darkness of human nature –   be it emotional coldness, self-mutilation and meanness to others, Bergman also celebrated the noble nature of humanity – selflessness, redemption, and the consolation achieved from imaginations and dreams.

Ever since my childhood, I have pictured inside of the soul as a moist membrane in shades of red. 
– Ingmar Bergman , 1972

(To be continued.)

by Ed Law

Film Analysis

羅丹的情人 (Camille Claudel)

天才總會被誤解?! 法國電影'羅丹的情人'(Camille Claudel)將會在2019年1月12日和1月20日在香港重映,是由'著魔'的演技爆裂女神Isabelle Adjani主演。她看來很擅長演這些極端角色,就像日本的木村佳乃一樣! 故事講述才華洋溢的雕刻家Camille Claudel一生的經歷,談她如何成為自己時代的受難者。值得一看的經典!

by Ed Law

Film Analysis

Wall-E, Part 2

  

In the first part of this series, I have described Wall-E’s absurd condition on Earth and his attempts to cope with the stress that originated from this situation. Though merely an instrument for the service of humanity, Wall E seemed to have developed attributes comparable to Nietzsche’s Ubermensch, and could still be able to lead a happy life despite the fact that he was utterly alone. What is great about this cute yellow fella is that he did not allow the nominal aspects of his life to define and constrain him – for example, the fact that he was merely a trash compactor and nobody really cared about him – and instead he strived for what he really wanted in his existence. In an existentialist’s point of view, Wall E has lived an authentic life, because he was honest to face his situation and has attempted to find out his own meaning from that, rather than the other way around.  

  

Yet, that is not the end of the story. No matter Hollywood or not, the most important aspect for any drama, or indeed our existence in general, is self-actualization. That is a certain point that we have to prove our worth, to show that we can meet up with our potential to achieve. Whatever the outcome will be, the fact that we have at least tried our best will relieve the psychological burden inherent in this aspect, and generate a peace of mind because we will have no regrets about we have given up the chance. So far, Wall E has proven himself to be an existential hero, yet he has not got an opportunity to prove his own worth. Then that opportunity came with the arrival of a female robot and her mothership – in the name of EVE. 

  

The relationship between Wall E and Eve is possibly one of the greatest aspects of the whole film, as it has moved way beyond the clichés of modern rom-com or the ‘love stories’ which rely on sentimentality to create a tear-jerking experience. When you watch Wall E and Eve’s story, you kind of think of films like Charlie Chaplin’s ‘City Lights’, and in fact there are quite a number of parallels between these two films too. While Chaplin’s films are supposed to be funny, there are moments that the audience will tear up rather than laugh, and there are a few of those cases in his silent classic. Wall E is certainly intended for kids because there are quite a lot of slapstick scenes, yet what makes the film so powerful is really the bittersweet parts. Those are the moments when a genuine emotional experience is possible and the audience member can identify with the characters.   

  

I have repeatedly stressed that 'Wall E' is a love story, and indeed it is a very well-done one. I would like to go back to the analogy of Chaplin's 'City Lights' again, because I can see a lot of parallels between the two films. If one only looks at the funny actions by Chaplin in the film, he will surely miss the power of the classic film itself. Because the Chaplin classic is a love story - even without the funny parts the story is powerful by itself. Though people have different opinions about the meaning of the title, I always feel that 'City Lights' refer to Chaplin's character - because he is the light that selflessly helped the blind girl to navigate around the harsh city and attempted to find happiness for her. I suppose that is exactly the same scenario in Wall E. The little robot needed to deliver actions to prove himself for other's respect, and pass on his optimistic outlook of life onto others.   

Let's talk about our female protagonist, EVE. The wonderful aspect about EVE is that she is not merely a damsel-in-distress in the simplistic manner. EVE is just as resourceful and intelligent as Wall E, and also has a strong sense of herself. Though she is merely a robot from a large corporation, she can be qualified as a Disney princess, and I would add probably one of the coolest. When I look at EVE, I cannot stop myself comparing her to Kei in Katsuhiro Otomo's 'Akira' (1988). I think they belong to the same character type, the kind of girls who want to engage their male counterparts a run for the money! And, Wall E, just like Kaneda in 'Akira', cannot probably just impress their respective lasses simply by sweet talk alone. They have to prove their worth to her - to show their courage and resourcefulness when dealing with the nasty situations the screenwriters can think of. 

When Wall E and EVE first met, EVE was staged in the foreground, with a high angle towards Wall E, which showed himself further in the background. The scene exaggerated EVE's size and made Wall E a much smaller robot - which in a sense he was. I guess this arrangement put the audience into Wall E's perspective, because that was a love at first sight and that would motivate Wall E's actions for the rest of the story. After a surprised greeting - which landed Wall E flat on the floor - the two robots introduced themselves to each other and they headed back to Wall E's place. Without any human (or robot) connection for a long time, and with Barbra Streisand (on the screen) as his only experience with women, Wall E led EVE around the house and introduced passionately about all the antiques he has hoarded for quite some time. It was exactly that innocence from Wall E that could melt anyone's heart. True, Wall E may be considered as a simple-minded robot, yet his compassion and willingness to connect with others are the reasons why he will become popular around people. One does not need to pretend to be edgy or special, or search for pickup lines from the PUA websites, to ask other people to like you. The most important secret is compassion, to show that you care about others and want to connect. At least, Wall E succeeded in this pursuit and EVE was certainly smiling and tilting her head (if she had the ability to). Their relationship would be challenged a couple of times soon after, due to Wall E's occasional lapses into the sloppy end, yet this little yellow fellow would self-actualize by showing its true self. 

The second part of the film became more mainstream-oriented because it fell back to the usual Hollywood plots, and the critique of the modern life was very similar to that of ‘2001: A Space Odyssey’. Things were becoming clinical and cold calculations predominated the various parties in the second act of the film, while the first half was spontaneous to the true feeling of the protagonist. At the end, Wall E demonstrated the power of sacrifice – he risked his neck to save the day, and ended up losing all the previous memories and fruitful life experience as a robot. 

I feel that Pixar has been conscientious regarding the ending of the story because the creators of the story did not want to alienate audience by offering a dark ending, though that was absolutely reasonable given the serious tone of the story – I would say Wall E is probably one of the most realistic Pixar films when compared against the human condition. When EVE was in a state of despair of not being able to restore Wall E’s memory, Wall E’s hand suddenly held on EVE’s, and this simple symbolism of human connection (OK they are robots I know) worth more than a thousand words. Wall E finally remembered everything, and the two robots reconciled and could live happily ever after. Personally, I feel an open ending will be a more powerful one in this case (much like what I feel about the film ‘Passengers’), when the outcome is left to the viewer’s imaginations. Though for such an ‘European’ or Antonioni-esque ending the animation studio might find it too risky to do so.    

With the combination of a nice plot and a deep message, ‘Wall E’ will be acclaimed as a modern classic in the field of animated feature.

(2/2)

by Ed Law

Film Analysis

A Star is Born

Recently, Lady Gaga’s ‘A Star is Born’ and Ryan Gosling’s ‘First Man’ were released in cinemas around the world. Both are exciting films for 2018. ‘A Star is Born’ has already been remade a few time, most notably in 1976 starring Barbra Streisand and Kris Kristofferson. This time, Bradley Cooper served as the writer-director-actor for the film with Lady Gaga in a potentially Oscar-worthy performance. That certainly will be our generation’s response to such an iconic film! On the other hand, ‘First Man’, which is directed by Damien Chazelle, the filmmaker for ‘Whiplash’ and ‘La La Land’, explored the life and experience of Neil Armstrong, the astronaut widely known as the first man on the moon. This new film recalls another famous film that is celebrating its 35th anniversary this year – Philip Kaufmann’s ‘The Right Stuff’ (1983), which is one I highly recommend to everyone. The 1983 film was more concerned with the preliminary and fundamental research and experiments, especially those related to Chuck Yeager, before the mission to moon. It is an iconic film because not only of the first-rate technical aspects – this was the film that beat ‘Return of the Jedi’ in 3 Oscar categories – and also because of Sam Shepard’s fantastic portrayal of Chuck Yeager, for which he received an Oscar nomination. Shepard, who has achieved tremendously as a playwright, also worked as an actor in a number of films, and ‘The Right Stuff’ was probably one of this most memorable performance. So I guess I will talk about these films in this article. 

While ‘A Star is Born’ and ‘First Man’ seemed to be dealing with different topics, it is the common aspect between the 2 films I want to concentrate on. The common theme is the way how ordinary people can strive and have the big chance to become a superstar, and the potential pitfalls when that status is reached. The great thing about ‘A Star is Born’ is that it has a nice contrast regarding the 2 key characters in the story. The male protagonist has already been established himself as a famed musician, yet he has a lot of pressure due to his celebrity status, and while looking for ways to counteract that, he has fallen into a self-destructive pathway. The female protagonist, by contrast, is more of an underdog character and has brief stints as a singer in a bar – which is often the clichéd way of showing someone with potential as a star, but not quite there yet. Through the help of the rock star, the female protagonist has stolen the limelight and has started to develop her own fame. Yet, the two characters eventually came into conflict because of their very different personalities. While the ending for the 2018 film is similar in terms of the idea as the 1976 film, I think it is a more realistic ending compared to its predecessor, because that is a likely psychological consequence for a depressed and self-destructive individual. The 1976 ending was more about fate and coincidence, which was closer to the attitude of the style from the 1970s.

Another great point about the 2018 version is that both Cooper and Lady Gaga make the film as actors rather than a musician. Well, while the 1976 film is quite an engaging film, it did not get to a critical top shot because the film treated Streisand and Kristofferson as famed musicians, and much of the charisma from the film originated from their songs, rather than a great story or their acting skills. While that may be spectacular for a MTV, that should certainly compromise those members of audience who comes for a great movie. Lady Gaga has achieved tremendously as a musician throughout the years, and this time what she has done rather well is to focus herself as an actress in this film about music. She has proved that she can act well, and I really hope that she will be nominated for an Oscar for her performance!    

For Gosling’s ‘First Man’, it also deals with similar themes. Even if the astronauts are detached from Earth when they are exploring in space, they are just human beings when they come back to their everyday lives. The pressure and stress from fame, relationships, and the various issues from life will test them just like anyone. When we look at ‘The Right Stuff’, there is also close to this point. While the astronauts can travel in space, they are just as comfortable to blend in as ordinary citizens in their familiar surroundings. Indeed, one of the memorable scenes I like in the film is with Sam Shepard’s character with Barbara Hershey’s character in a bar. It is just a beautiful image, and because that emphasizes the humanity of this ‘superstar’ and the human connections they need. What makes these people special is their will and perseverance to explore for new things, even when others think it is more of a pipe dream and never possible to achieve. I guess when the astronauts are working on their plans, there are many ‘nay-sayers’ hanging around and they will ridicule this ‘space-travelers’. The key is to have a strong confidence and resilience from these pressure and just concentrate on what you believe in. ‘The Right Stuff’ has explored how these men were willing to work hard to fulfill the larger-than-life dream, and also explored the inevitable turmoil they experienced as humans. This is a key point to look at in Chazelle’s ‘First Man’ - to explore the cosmological, as well as psychological, journeys of Neil Armstrong’s developed as a successful astronaut.

by Ed Law

Film Analysis