The Fallen Idol (Director: Carol Reed, UK, 1948): The Fallen Idol was released a few months ago by The Criterion Collection. Having never seen the film, I purchased a copy from CriterionDVD.com.
The Fallen Idol was directed by Carol Reed and written by Graham Greene — the same team that created one of my favourite films, The Third Man (1949).
In The Fallen Idol, Baines the butler (Ralph Richardson) is suspected of killing his wife. The only witness to her death is a little boy named Phillipe (Bobby Henrey) with an active imagination.
The film is a good thriller that leaves you guessing right up until the end when everything gets resolved. Innocence, faith and betrayal are a few of the themes that are examined in this suspenseful drama.
Richardson is perfectly cast as “the fallen idol” and the performance by Phillipe is incredible considering he was an untrained actor and dealing with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). A documentary on the DVD explains how Reed patiently worked with the child actor to keep him focused and deliver his lines. The resulting performance is brilliant.
There is a night scene where young Phillipe is running through the streets of London that will remind you of Orson Welles running through the streets of Vienna in The Third Man. Rent (or buy) this film if you enjoyed The Third Man.
The audio and video quality of this new, restored version of the film is what you’d expect from The Criterion Collection. Excellent!
Tagged as:
criterion
Children of Men (Director: Alfonso Cuarón, UK/USA, 2006): I really wanted to watch this film last Saturday but the 200 copies at the local Blockbuster were gone. What’s a guy to do when he has company over and has to make a good film pick? I paid full price for the DVD and I feel it was worth it.
Children of Men was on a lot of Top Ten lists last year and a lot of critics considered it to be the best film of the year. Was it better than Pan’s Labyrinth or The Departed? Hard to say. My favourite is still Pan’s Labyrinth.
Children of Men is dark, beautiful and definitely not a mainstream popcorn flick. It’s the type of film that stays with you long after it ends and will have some people wondering why they spent 109 minutes watching it. I enjoyed it and need to watch it again.
Set in the future, Children of Men presents a world where humankind is on the brink of extinction. A killer virus wiped out all the world’s children and left the adults infertile. Amidst all the anarchy and chaos, a pregnant woman appears with a miracle child, a saviour for the world.
Like The Matrix before it, Children of Men will surely inspire a number of university courses along the lines of “The Christology of Children of Men”. The biblical references run deep and will make this a popular film to analyze and discuss.
There were many incredible scenes in this film but the one that stuck with me the most involves the crying baby. The presence of this miracle child and its crying voice is louder than the deafening crackle of automatic gunfire. It’s one of those cinematic moments that you’ll remember for years—think Schindler’s List and the scene with the child in the red coat.
In the last few days there’s been quite a buzz about the incredible cinematography in this film—the long takes and the magnificent camera work will have you scratching your head. There is a lot to enjoy about this film if you’re willing to participate in it while you watch it.
Souvenirs (Directors: Shahar Cohen and Halil Efrat, Israel, 2006): This documentary had its Canadian premiere at the Bloor Cinema in Toronto tonight. Souvenirs received a Best Documentary Award at the 2006 Doc Aviv Festival.
37 year-old Shahar Cohen went to film school for five years. Two years ago, he was unemployed, living in Jerusalem and wanted to make a film. The subject? His 82-year-old father, Sleiman, who had served in World War II with the Jewish Brigade.
The angle? His father had a few girlfriends in Holland and it’s possible that he might have left behind some “souvenirs” — children by two Dutch women.
So, father and son go on a road trip through Europe in search of lost lovers and siblings. What transpires is a charming and funny adventure where Sleiman and Sharar get to know each other better. The film also explores the role of the Jewish Brigade in the British army during the war.
I enjoyed Souvenirs a lot. Sleiman and his son aren’t very close but by the end of the film they make a connection that strengthens their relationship. You also gain some insight into life during the war through Sleiman’s many stories. And of course there are a few surprises along the way as Sharar tries to find out if he has any brothers or sisters from his father’s Dutch girlfriends.
Shahar Cohen was on-hand for a Q&A after the film. I was surprised to find out that he had written a script for his documentary film! The script was completed before filming but only used as an outline for how Shahar wanted the film to unfold.
At times Shahar and his co-director Halil Efrat “manipulated” Sleiman by getting him worked up to make a few scenes more dramatic. They also filmed a lot of interviews of Jewish Brigade members to trick Sleiman into thinking that the film was about the Brigade and not focusing solely on him.
I’m sure that their are some documentary purists who would frown upon these Michael Moore-like tactics, but it does make for a more interesting film.
More information on the film
Tagged as:
doc-aviv-festival,
family,
fathers-and-sons,
israel
From April 6-8, The Bridge will air on The Documentary Channel in Canada at 8 pm ET. If you were looking for a reason to add this channel to your cable or satellite subscription then this is it.
The Bridge (2006) was one of the best films I screened at Doc Soup in the last year. Don’t miss it.
Tagged as:
suicide
Junebug (Director: Phil Morrison, USA, 2005): Brilliant! An instant favourite. How did I miss such a perfect film?
Director Phil Morrison has created an incredible piece of art with writer Angus MacLachlan. Everything from the dialogue, casting, cinematography, music and direction is so carefully put together and magically real. You can’t help but believe in the characters and the story that unfolds before you.
Junebug requires a certain amount of patience from the viewer. Some of the shots might be unusually long and ‘artsy’ for some audiences but it sets a tone for certain scenes. At times the dialog is sparse but the acting speaks volumes.
The story is fairly simple but the characters are complex and very interesting. Newlyweds, Madeleine and George live in Chicago. They take a road trip to North Carolina so that Madeleine can meet George’s family and hopefully sign up an eccentric painter to Madeleine’s art gallery.
The artist in North Carolina is like a character right out of the Civil War. The film is worth watching just to hear his accent. George’s family are an interesting bunch. I don’t want to give too much away because I think the less you know, the more you’ll like the film. If you want a plot summary then check out IMDB.
I really wish there was a director commentary for this film because it raises a lot of questions and I’d love to know some of the intended meanings behind certain shots and some of the dialogue.
This is a film that I’ll be adding to my DVD library so that I can watch it again and again. It’s that good and I highly recommend it if you haven’t seen it.
