London Film Festival 2021: The French Dispatch ★★★½ – For Cineccentric

The effervescent spell that Wes Anderson films can whimsically cast over audiences returns at last with The French Dispatch, long-delayed by Covid. Anderson returns with another stellar cast and an intrinsically quirky premise in his latest pastiche of tender and playful tributes to journalism, namely The New Yorker. This is Anderson’s somewhat wistful ode to the days of magazine writing, where the diatribes aren’t predominant and the celebration of the world’s magic is printed in gloss. Whilst still fittingly political, the storytelling of Anderson enshrines a series of anthologies that blend his off-kilter wit with stunning cinematography. Whilst The French Dispatch has a lingering air of the formulaic to it, Anderson can be guilty of rehashing touches of previous works as the split narratives are enough to make the storytelling fresh. 

The French Dispatch, a Kansas newspaper supplement forged in France, recites the intellectual highs of culture. The film serves as a recount of the magazine’s final edition, a recounting of the best stories of the decade, which include an obituary, an artist’s turmoil, the politics of youth, and a culinary shootout as described by the expatriates hired by Arthur Howitzer Jr. (Bill Murray). A film that, in some ways, begins at the end, The French Dispatch serves as an obituary to Howitzer Jr., a remembrance of a man who found a home in the literary raptures of his beloved Ennui. The set-up introduces the staff: Elisabeth Moss and Anderson mainstay Jason Schwarzman, in minor roles, as grammarian and illustrator. Much of the build-up is narrated by Anjelica Huston, who Owen Wilson joins as a travel writer, a character based on New Yorker writer Joseph Mitchell, amongst other Anderson usuals and new faces. 

LINK TO FULL ARTICLE – CINECCENTRIC

Pages: 1 2

London Film Festival 2021: Last Night in Soho ★★½ – For Cineccentric

A foray into Edgar Wright’s native London and a nostalgic time travel to a bygone era, Wright’s Last Night in Soho traverses the present and the swinging 60s. Whilst very much resembling a passion project and ode to his native London, Wright’s inventive but sadly misshapen horror cuts the cloth a little too unevenly. The film, introduced to audiences at London Film Festival as a film of two halves, accompanied by a request to keep spoilers to a minimum, sets out to lightly prod and poke at contemporary youth culture. In juxtaposing the 60s-obsessed twee Eloise (Thomasin McKenzie) amidst a predominantly narcissistic student culture, Wright attempts to justify a convoluted jaunt into another persona and another time.

Celebrating the music and fashion of the 1960s as she self indulgently dances in her out-of-city bedroom, Eloise is a sensitive and tender soul. Promptly, she receives confirmation of university acceptance; a place at London College of Fashion awaits, and with it brings excitement and reluctance from sole grandparent Peggy (Rita Tushingham). Despite the reassurance of a lingering, unexplained sensitivity and subjectivity to seeing her dead mother is well behind her, Eloise finds the mire of London student parties, unpleasant flatmates, and a constant, unwelcome male gaze overwhelming. Gratefully, Eloise leaves student halls for a quaint single bedsit, immediately alleviating many social pressures she initially faced. Almost as if awaiting her arrival, on her first night in the new room, firmly entrenched in London, a body-hopping, time-jumping journey begins. 

LINK TO FULL ARTICLE – CINECCENTRIC

Pages: 1 2

Essay: Blood for Dracula – for Wasteland Arts

As the blood pours like cheap wine, Paul Morrissey parades an impaired and physically weak Udo Kier through an anti-communist, bizarrely conservative, and surreally moralistic caricature of the famous bloodsucker.

The sleaze of this politically charged satire of vampire folklore is palpable; only the blood of a virgin can keep the flailing Count Dracula alive. Anton (Arno Juerging), the manservant of Dracula (Udo Kier), finds hope in a religious pre-fascist Italy for the desolate Count. The latter can only be restored to strength by the blood of a virgin, having seen his family slowly disappear from Romania, searching for the same pure blood (of a virgin). In a weakened state, Dracula tasks Anton with arranging travel immediately to Italy; there, the Count befriends a family of declining wealth, despite owning a lavish estate, of which the patriarch hopes to marry one of four daughters to a wealthy aristocrat. The film comprises a range of softcore eroticism, political satire, lavishly over-the-top gore, and a tacky aesthetic that pulses vividly throughout.

Directed and written by Paul Morrissey, Andy Warhol’s name was attached to the film in a loose pseudo-auteur gimmick to promote the film despite no consistent evidence of the latter’s contribution aside from attending “the parties”. Despite the lack of claim on Warhol’s part, there is a clear link between this film and some other x-rated Warhol productions of the same era in their presentation of ‘political’ sex. Warhol and Morrissey collaborated in some capacity on numerous occasions before Blood for Dracula, exploring politics, exploitation, substance abuse, and sex work in Heat, Flesh, Trash, and Women in Revolt. Though other authorship issues existed, the European release of the film was credited to Antonio Margheriti (Dir; Castle of Blood, Cannibal Apocalypse). This credit as the director ensured the film would obtain Italian nationality for the producers due to Italian laws. Blood for Dracula‘s production began only one day after Morrissey’s Flesh for Frankenstein finished, both produced by the prolific Italian producer Carlo Ponti. 

LINK TO FULL ESSAY – WASTELANDARTS.COM

Pages: 1 2

Discussing Tampopo – Conversation with Eugene Kang – For Cineccentric

Nick Davie: For our Living Room Chats this month, we discuss Juzo Itami‘s 1985 classic Tampopo. The wonderfully crafted food-based epic Tampopo champions the craft of cooking and aims to tear down establishment bias towards the amateur chef. Itami cleverly comments on establishment snobbery in Japanese culture whilst parodying the Western genre to create the first Japanese Noodle western. The film follows the widow Tampopo struggling to appease customers at her local fast food restaurant with her inadequate cooking until two truck drivers decide to stick around and help her learn the ways of ramen cooking. The lead truck driver Goro (Tsutomu Yamazaki) takes Tampopo (Nobuko Miyamoto) under his wing in this endearing championing of the amateur, teaching her the methods and techniques to improving her skill set. A strangely unique film, Tampopo is best watched on an empty stomach; in my opinion, this can result in the desire for a sumptuous feast of ramen and such afterwards. Discussing this with my colleague Eugene Kang, I would love to hear about your experience with Tampopo and other ‘food porn’ cinema.

Eugene Kang: Even if you were to go in with a full stomach to watch this film, there is no way that you would not crave at least one of the dishes that are seen onscreen. The plot of the men helping Tampopo with her ramen is actually about half of the movie whereas the rest is designated to mostly unrelated vignettes that center around food. It is in these vignettes that Itami treats us to a visual smorgasbord, from ramen to fine seafood to a simple ice cream cone. While I think a lot of ‘food porn’ focuses on the visual appeal of food and the vicarious enjoyment we get of seeing someone eat it, I think the genius of Tampopo is that Itami explores the culture around food and the rituals we have created in order to prepare it and eat it. One of the first scenes is between Gun (Ken Watanabe) and a ramen master (Ryutaro Otomo). The ramen master is a master not because he knows how to make the best ramen, but because he ‘knows’ how to eat ramen in the best way. You must put the pork to the right, you must stroke the naruto three times, etc. Itami and Otomo make it clear through dialogue and performance that it is absurd that anyone things there is a right way to eat ramen, but the ramen master takes is so seriously that Gun has to respect the master’s dedication. Not only is this a funny scene, but it is a clever way to introduce ramen as a dish that deserves respect in its preparation and consumption. Also the idea that ritual and tradition are just as important to the enjoyment of food, no matter how ridiculous your rituals are, will be a running theme throughout the film. 

What do you make of the different rituals that you saw around the preparation and consumption of food in Tampopo? Do you have a particular vignette that you really enjoyed?

LINK TO FULL ARTICLE – CINECCENTRIC

Deerskin: The Philosophy of Absurdism – For 25YL

Killer style replacing the killer life.

In analysing the 2019 Quentin Dupieux film Deerskin, there comes an acceptance that extrapolating deeper meanings from an absurd plot in Dupieux’s cinematic world is an act of self-parody. Through a study of narcissism’s consequential delusions, Deerskin offers up a ridiculous ‘love’ affair between a man and his jacket. With an exploration of the philosophical absurd, a character’s actions are justified only to themselves in their ego-inebriated states. Dupieux is a director who consistently employs bizarre plots, surreal motifs, and off-kilter humour, though Deerskin, whilst deranged itself as an entity, represents his most refined and composed film. Though this analysis intends to look specifically at the philosophy of absurdism in Deerskin, establishing this philosophy’s definition and prominent cinematic appearances will aid in identifying how Dupieux utilises this as a plot device and theme.

As a philosophy, broadly, absurdism is the embrace of one’s purposelessness in a chaotic and irrational universe. The absurd being the result of contradictory conflict between the human mind and the nature of a random universe. In semblance with existentialism and nihilism, absurdism acknowledges that the individual’s choice(s) can shape meaning in their life. In film, the expression of absurdism has been portrayed in various manners. From Woody Allen’s introspective satire Zelig, Terry Gilliam’s surreal kafkaesque dreamland Brazil, and Andrej Zulwaski’s Cosmos where unjustified clues lead to larger puzzles, but all roads lead to nonsense. Ultimately, an absurdist film tends to project a life lived in, acknowledging the meaninglessness void that is the irrational universe. Absurd worlds and universes, by definition, allow a degree of unexplained circumstances for characters to be victim to, propagators of, or to explore. For Dupieux, the absurd world stems directly from his protagonist in Deerskin, Georges (Jean Dujardin) and his bizarre grasps at a sense of direction.

LINK TO FULL ARTICLE – 25YL

Pages: 1 2

Discussing Vagabond – Conversation with Eugene Kang, Jessica Moore – For Cineccentric

Eugene Kang: This month we are diving into Vagabond, one of the most esteemed works from Agnes Varda, a director I admire greatly, but whose work is sadly a bit of a blind spot for me. Called by some to be the mother of the French New Wave, Varda had a long career as an innovative storyteller and documentarian who is grounded in a humanistic view of the world. She is well-known not just for her focus on complex, interesting female characters, but also her focus on disenfranchised groups such as the Black Panthers or gleaners, the people who pick up the leftovers from harvest to sustain themselves. She is also a great experimenter in style and has had a profound influence on both narrative and documentary filmmaking. I see marks of her worldview and style in Vagabond, but before I delve into my thoughts, Nick and Jessica, what has been your experience with Varda’s works and what do you find most striking or appealing about her work?

Jessica Moore: My introduction to Varda was with her lesser known 1965 romantic feature Le Bonheur, which, looking back, is quite a departure from the sensibilities I have come to associate with Varda’s oeuvre. By this I mean Varda, to me, is a master of focalised, empathetic filmmaking; her films are thoroughly devoted to quotidian, individual experiences, mostly centering on women who lead rather solitary lifestyles. Her camera not only understands these individuals, it cherishes their humility. Complemented by her prolific documentary films, both Cleo de 5 a 7 and Vagabond are perhaps the most notable examples of Varda’s sympathies and fascinations as a director.

Nick Davie: I can only echo both of your glowing comments about Agnes Varda and her unique sensibilities. She had such a brilliant presence behind the camera and was in my opinion, way ahead of her time. Her filmography displays such a varied range of gender dynamics that few directors can boast today and as you have stated Eugene, Varda brought focus to the marginalised at a time when others were simply ‘playing it safe’. In regard to her history as a pivotal figure in French cinema, her first feature La Pointe Courteis steeped in neorealism, and was a precursor for so many of the great New Wave films from Truffaut, Chabrol, Godard, Rohmer, etc. Her pioneering role in the French New Wave was so important to future industry diversity, and she was not afraid to push boundaries or challenge the status quo.

She had such a wonderful, warm, and approachable character offscreen also. There is a deeply personal bond between Agnes Varda and cinema as an entity, a palpable connection that was evident at any film festival or premiere. The first film of hers I managed to watch was Documenteur, a typically poignant blend of fact and fiction, filmed in vernacular photography that really supports the docudrama. I find her films often leave me with a sobering sensation, that I have just watched something so real, Vagabond as the perfect example. Whilst I have really only seen a handful of her films, Vagabond is a striking film. I am not sure many could write such a powerful and complex protagonist as Mona. Agnes Varda creates her protagonists almost as set pieces that bring the supporting cast to life, whilst absorbing and projecting the trauma of the world’s afflictions upon them. Vagabond is a film ahead of its time and one that for me, holds up strongly to date. I am curious to know where you see this film in terms of its place in contemporary film culture? Do you think it has aged well?

LINK TO FULL ARTICLE – CINECCENTRIC

Mouthpiece – Review – One Room With A View

This loose adaptation of Norah Sadava and Amy Nostbakken’s play of the same name is brought to the silver screen by Mansfield Park director Patricia Rozema. The Emmy-winning writer, producer, and director attempts to channel this ‘two as one’ semi-musical act into a filmic narrative. 

Cassandra wakes up to a series of missed calls and a voicemail, telling her that her mother has suddenly and unexpectedly passed away in the night. The events that follow centre around family politics as they prepare for the funeral. Tall Cassandra (Amy Nostbakken) and Short Cassandra (Norah Sadava) posture themselves as the responsible family member to deliver the eulogy.

The primary element of Mouthpiece is the synchronised movements, mannerisms, and verbalising between Nostbakken and Sadava – a visually captivating balancing act that rarely feels gimmicky. Both contort towards and away from the other when presented with the painful, the happy, the logical, and the illogical, creating a sense of nuanced emotional juxtaposition. This refreshing approach to an idea of a self residual image and expression of an active inner-monologue is delivered through a palpable connection the two leads share, let down only by occasionally faltering dialogue.

LINK TO FULL REVIEW – ONE ROOM WITH A VIEW

Pages: 1 2

Essay: Naked Lunch – for Wasteland Arts

Canadian body horror master David Cronenberg amalgamates the 1959 novel Naked Lunch, other fiction from William S. Burroughs, and the life of the beatnik icon into an explicitly physical tale of abuse and deviancy. Whilst Cronenberg is a key member of body-horror’s insurgency in cinema, Burroughs, a pivotal figure in American literature, wrote about the human condition and the consequential perversities and horrors of life. A lifetime spent writing about man’s struggles on the outer rims of existential nihilism and moral destitution, Burroughs’ canon of work has its influences entrenched throughout lit major Cronenberg’s filmography. With Burroughs’ blessing, Cronenberg approached Naked Lunch, a novel deemed ‘unfilmable’, at a stage in his career when his work evoked shudders in audiences globally. 

The novel, a controversial and bizarre non-linear account of substance abuse that caused an uproar in the United States upon release for its obscene language and exhibitions of sexual violence, offered itself to the outlandish filmography of Cronenberg. In return Cronenberg’s distinct aesthetic style no doubt appealed to the mind of Burroughs. The writer described the aesthetics of photography and the moving image with much intrigue: ‘to compete with television and photo magazines writers will have to develop more precise techniques producing the same effect on the reader as a lurid action photo’. The term ‘lurid action photo’ can be accessed through the lens of Susan Sontag’s seminal text On Photography, that ‘photographs may be more memorable than moving images because they are a neat slice of time, not a flow’. Sontag highlights the image’s ability to amply shock; whilst strings of images denote the flow of action, the former image is replaced in succession. Indeed, the novel Naked Lunch is not a photograph and the film is a succession of images, therefore the sensibilities of a ‘lurid action’ are replicated through intent. 

LINK TO FULL ESSAY – WASTELANDARTS.COM

Pages: 1 2

Woman in Motion – Review – One Room With A View

Fans of Star Trek may remember Nichelle Nichols as the unflappable communications officer Lieutenant Uhura of the Enterprise, but Nichols’ involvement in humanity’s journey into space goes beyond the confines of a television starship.

Nichols was involved in one of the most incredible recruitment drives for America’s space program in history. Her epic and inspiring story charts her early work with education in the sciences, technology, engineering, and maths for women and minorities that would lead to much needed diversity in NASA. 

Whilst the documentary is primarily about her work away from the screen in later years, there is a nice blend of biopic with television legacy underpinning the story. The film touches upon her rise to becoming the household name she is recognised as today. Woman in Motion documents her early life and her role on the original 1966 series of Star Trek, where Nichols pushed gender and racial boundaries on television before bringing her force of positive change to the world of real life space travel. 

LINK TO FULL REVIEW – ONE ROOM WITH A VIEW

Pages: 1 2

Discussing Save the Green Planet! – Conversation with Rosie Blackburn & Eugene Kang – For Cineccentric

Nick Davie: As 2020 draws to a close, South Korean cinema has never been as popular as it is now, in part thanks to Parasite‘s Best Picture Academy Award triumph for Bong Joon-ho. As western audiences were further exposed to South Korean cinema, Jang Joon-hwan announced he would be remaking 2003’s Save the Green Planet! in the English language. This month we will be discussing Jang Joon-hwan’s original film, in which the word original really sticks. The film is a unique blend of genres, from science fiction to kidnap/torture drama to conspiracy comedy. Joon-hwan has stated he was influenced by Rob Reiner‘s adaptation of the Stephen King novel Misery though Joon-hwan wanted to tell the story from the perspective of the kidnapper in his film. Also influenced by theories that aliens are already amongst us, specifically a website claiming Leonardo DiCaprio is one of them plotting our downfall from within, the South Korean director’s vision was well received in his homeland. The film follows traumatized Lee Byeong-gu (Ha-kyun Shin) who believes he has discovered a royal descendant Man-shik Kang (Yun-shik Baek) from the planet Andromeda plotting an alien invasion of Earth. With the help of his girlfriend Su-ni (Jung-min Hwang), Byeong-gu keeps Baek hostage in his basement. Law enforcement is stumped. They resort to employing now-disgraced private detective Kim (Ju-hyeon Lee) in a disingenuous attempt to find the kidnapped Baek. What ensues spans a multitude of genres, a chaotic and frantic finale capping off a wonderfully unique film that joins an ever-growing slate of Western remakes of South Korean films. Whilst the remake will be produced by contemporary horror master Ari Aster and Succession writer Will Tracey is adapting the script, how can any of the original’s unique mind-bending qualities be adapted by Hollywood?

LINK TO FULL ARTICLE – CINECCENTRIC

Pages: 1 2