DARREN ARONOFSKY's "Black Swan"

The trailer from Darren Aronofsky's follow-up to The Wrestler, adult thriller Black Swan looks promising in this newly released trailer. See it HERE in high resolution. The film is due to be released in December 2010.

"BLACK SWAN follows the story of Nina (Natalie Portman), a ballerina in a New York City ballet company whose life, like all those in her profession, is completely consumed with dance. She lives with her retired ballerina mother Erica (Barbara Hershey) who zealously supports her daughter’s professional ambition. When artistic director Thomas Leroy (Vincent Cassel) decides to replace prima ballerina Beth MacIntyre (Winona Ryder) for the opening production of their new season, Swan Lake, Nina is his first choice. But Nina has competition: a new dancer, Lily (Kunis), who impresses Leroy as well. Swan Lake requires a dancer who can play both the White Swan with innocence and grace, and the Black Swan, who represents guile and sensuality. Nina fits the White Swan role perfectly but Lily is the personification of the Black Swan. As the two young dancers expand their rivalry into a twisted friendship, Nina begins to get more in touch with her dark side with a recklessness that threatens to destroy her."

Links:
Black Swan
Black Swan trailer (Apple)
Darren Aronofsky Wiki

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus TRAILER

The trailer for Terry Gilliam's The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus promises so much and advance word thus far is very, very good. I can't wait.

Links:
doctorparnassus.com
IDP Blogspot
Trailer (YouTube)

PANIQUE AU VILLAGE (A Town Called Panic)

If you haven't come across Vincent Patar and Stéphane Aubier's Panique au Village (A Town Called Panic), it is a wonderfully strange and funny world that is full of joy and heart.

Here's the trailer for the film...

And Le Grand Sommeil...

Links:
A Town Called Panic
Panique au Village - The Film (French)
A Town Called Panic (YouTube)
A Town Called Panic (Atom Films)
A Town Called Panic Wiki
Film review (Twitch)

WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE

In case any of you missed the promising trailer for Spike Jonze and Dave Egger's adaption of Maurice Sendak's Where the Wild Things Are...

Trailer de Where the wild things are
Uploaded by masalladeorion -

Links:
Official website
We love you so
Dave Eggers
Spike Jonze wiki
Maurice Sendak wiki
Quicktime Trailer
Where the Wild Things Are wiki

Lars Von Trier's ANTICHRIST

Lars Von Trier is one of my favourite directors, I enjoy the horror genre, and the concept of nature (chaos?) being the manifestation of evil is interesting. The shot above of the road and car being swallowed up by the forest is exemplary of the sumptuous, Gothic imagery from Director of photography, Anthony Dod Mantle.

The film stars Charlotte Gainsbourg and Willem Defoe as a grieving couple who take refuge in an isolated cabin after the death of their child.

Links:
Antichrist (official site)
-Director's confession
-Interview (Film #66)

Anthony Dod Mantle Wiki

Interview Collection (SiouxWIRE - 2007)

CHARLIE KAUFMAN's trailer for "Synecdoche, New York"

Charlie Kaufman is consistently interesting if not always successful in his daring scripts. His directorial debut Synecdoche, New York is high on my list of films to see. Produced by Anthony Bregman, Charlie Kaufman, Spike Jones, Kimmell. Executive producers, William Horberg, Bruce Toll, Ray Angelic. Directed, written by Charlie Kaufman.

From the press pack:

SYNECDOCHE
[Sih-NECK-doh-kee]
-noun

A figure of speech in which:

A Part is used for the Whole
The Screen for Movies

A Whole stands for a Part
The Law for Police

A Species (specific kind)
stands for its Genus (general kind)
Cutthroats for Assassins

A Genus stands in for its Species
Creature for Person

A Material stands for a Thing
Ivories for Piano Keys

See the trailer HERE or click below.

Links:
SynecdocheNY.com
Synecdoche, New York wiki

Reading Charlie Kaufman's Next Project (LA Times)
Variety review

Baz Luhrmann's AUSTRALIA

"Australia is Baz Luhrmann's first feature film since the 2001 musical success Moulin Rouge! The highly anticipated film centres on an English aristocrat in the 1930s, played by Nicole Kidman, who comes to northern Australia to sell a cattle property the size of Belgium. After an epic journey across the country with a rough-hewn drover, Hugh Jackman, they are caught in the bombing of Darwin during World War II. Filming began late April 2007 & concluded December 19th 2007. The film is slated for a November 13 2008 release."

The teaser trailer for Australia is below. For additional viewing options, visit the official site HERE.

After enjoying Luhrmann's Moulin Rouge!, I'm looking forward to seeing his approach to this film which looks like a departure from his earlier work. Also, I highly recommend Nick Cave's The Proposition which (like the recently mentioned Dead Man) viscerally presents a convincing representation of a gritty period of history and like Luhrmann's latest is set in Australia.

I haven't enjoyed everything from Luhrmann but that doesn't diminish my admiration for his work which began with this gentle gem:

Links:
Australia
Bazmark Inq (official Baz Luhrmann site)
Baz Luhrmann Wiki
Baz the Great! (fansite)

José Saramago - Fernando Meirelles: BLINDNESS

After working on the adaptation of John le Carré's The Constant Gardener, Fernando Meirelles who also directed City of God has a new adaptation in the form of Nobel-laureate José Saramago's Blindness. The book tells the story of a mass epidemic which causes blindness and its effect on the unnamed city for which it is centred. Saramago wrote a sequel to the story in 2004 titled Seeing which is set in the same country and has been translated to English. It revolves around a majority of the populace casting blank ballots and the government's efforts to come to terms with and eradicate the movement.

Here is the teaser trailer for Meirelles adaptation for Blindness:

Blindness will be opening the 2008 Cannes Festival on the 14 May.

Links:
Blindess (movie website-Miramax)
José Saramago Nobel lecture (NobelPrize.org)
The Unexpected Fantasist - Saramago (New York Times)
José Saramago Wiki
Fernando Meirelles Wiki

I SERVED THE KING OF ENGLAND

With Jirí Menzel's film adaptation of Bohumil Hrabil's witty Czech masterpiece, I Served the King of England soon to be released outside the Czech Republic, I thought it timely to recommend this social and political satire which Milan Kundera described as "one of the most authentic incarnations of magical Prague, an incredible union of earthy humour and baroque imagination"

The film itself is typical of literary adaptations losing a good deal in the process but still remains worthy of its 2 hour run time with elements reminiscent of Roy Andersson and Jacques Tati. Jirí Menzel's previous adaptation of Hrabel, Closely Watched Trains won the 1967 Academy Award for best foreign film.


Here is the original Czech trailer followed by the American trailer. The Czech version is superior even with the language barrier though the subtitles in the over-the-top American trailer does give more background for those unfamiliar with Hrabil's book.

Links:
I Served the King of England (Sony Picture Classics)
Jirí Menzel interview
Jirí Menzel Wiki
I Served the King of England (Dear Cinema)

Forgotten: JULIE TAYMOR's "Titus"

Released in 1999, Julie Taymor's visually and viscerally striking adaptation of William Shakespeare's tragedy Titus Andronicus is an overlooked work which came in for ample criticism during its release balanced in equal part with praise for its acting and visuals.

Adhering closely to the original material, the film follows a cycle of vengeance between the families of the Roman General Titus Andronicus(Anthony Hopkins) and the Queen of the Goths Tamora (Jessica Lange) though the ending does veer from the bleak original in favour of a more optimistic future.

This was Taymor's cinematic debut after work on Broadway which garnered her considerable acclaim for her adapatation of The Lion King. Her subsequent films include the Frida Kahlo biopic Frida and Across the Universe though for me, I can't help but yearn for her to apply the same daring and skill of Titus to something new.

Being Shakespeare's bloodiest play, the film itself is a bruising experience with violence suitably used at key moments in the story accenting another turn of the gears of vengeance. With a fascinating melange of postmodern imagery, fine acting and a storyline all too relevant to the modern world, it isn't perfect but certainly worthy of attention.

Links:
Now is a time to storm - Elsie Walker (Literature Film Quarterly)
Titus review (BFI)
Titus Wiki
Julie Taymor Wiki

ROY ANDERSSON's "Du Levande" (You, the Living)

In Roy Andersson's latest work yet another thread leads back to Iceland. Inspired by The Poetic Edda, an ancient Icelandic piece of literature, the concept of the film is "man is man's fascination". The original proverb from the ballad of Hovamol("The high one's words) states "man is man's delight". Andersson adds that man is also "the bane of man, a threat and a sorrow."

Only Andersson's fourth feature film in 37 years, the film is presented in stark settings in deep-focus with faded palettes. Scenes are brief appearing at regular intervals to introduce new characters and ideas before moving onto another subject. With dark humour and considered commentary on human existence, it is a gem of a film that feels like a natural progression from Andersson's earlier work.

Here is the trailer:

Born in Gothenberg, Sweden(31 March 1943), Roy Andersson has been described as a "slapstick Bergman" for his absurdist comedy, slapstick humour, and caricatures. Strong anti-capitalist themes have become another trademark in his recent features and shorts as well as his visual style which became firmly established in Songs from the Second Floor(2000) which garnered a host of accolades including the Jury Prize at Cannes 2000 and took four years to complete.

Thanks to Rebecka at Roy's press office for the help in putting this together and in arranging an interview with Mr. Andersson in the coming months.


Links:
Du Levande (You, the Living)
Roy Andersson
Roy Andersson Wiki
Roy Andersson interview (thecontext.com)
You, the Living review (Guardian)

TOTORO vs. TOTORO

Hiyao Miyazake's animated masterpiece, My Neighbour Totoro has a very special place in my household. We've all been taken by its mixture of fantasy and reality. In particular, my 4 year-old son has taken it to heart.

But this post isn't about introducing you to the film, but to comment on a change made to the western version which is unnecessary and unsuccessful. There have been two releases in English. The first was released in 1993 from Fox and it is pitch perfect albeit with unknown actors. In 2004, the rights expired and two years later, Disney released a new version featuring Dakota Fanning and her sister Elle.

I have a lot of respect for Dakota Fanning as a young actress, but she just doesn't seem to be capable of expressing wide-eyed, childhood exhubrance and innocence. The rest of the cast are equally inferior. The Fox cast are more relaxed and seem to take a leed from the animation, gelling better with their animated selves. Still, the new cast are not horrible, they are trying but somehow the effort works against them coming across as less natural and more self-conscious.

You can see both versions below. The one on the left is the new Disney version which also presents the film in widescreen format. On the right is the Fox dub which is presented in cropped full screen.


It is really unfortunate particularly for this film as it is enjoyed so much by younger viewers who aren't quite ready for subtitles. This film really doesn't need a star's name to sell it. It stands on its own. The real tragedy is that the existing dub is superior.

So my recommendation is that if you can get one of the last few copies of the Fox version, do so. The picture isn't as good, but the performances are a real treat.

Links:
Hiyao Miyazake wiki
Nausicaa.net
Studio Ghibli (Japanese)
Miyazake interview (Guardian)

Gillian Armstrong's DEATH DEFYING ACTS

Since her debut film in 1970, Australian director Gillian Armstrong has been a strong and varied body of work from her first foray in Hollywood with Mrs. Soffel(1984), The Last Days of Chez Nous(1992), her most successful and well-known film to date, Little Women(1994) to the enigmatic charm of Oscar & Lucinda(1997).

Her latest film, Death Defying Acts tells the story of Harry Houdini in the height of his career in the 1920s and stars Guy Pearce, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Timothy Spall. The screenplay is by the frequent Terry Gilliam collaborator, Tony Grisoni. Here is the trailer:

The synopsis is as follows:

It is 1926, and Harry Houdini is the most famous performer in the world. Audiences flock to watch him perform his amazing stunts. But the man behind the legend is a tortured soul, having been unable to hear his mother’s dying words. He offers a $10,000 reward to anyone who can contact his mother from beyond the grave. When a beautiful but deceptive psychic, Mary McGregor, and her sidekick daughter, Benji, take the challenge, Harry is initially skeptical, but is soon captivated by her charms. The more time he spends with the mysterious woman, the more attracted he is, and what began as a con soon evolves into a passionate and complicated love affair, as Houdini attempts the most dangerous stunt of his career.

Death Defying Acts is due to be released in the UK in August 2008.

Links:
Death Defying Acts (Myriad Pictures)
Death Defying Acts Wiki
Gillian Armstrong (Senses of Cinema)
Gillian Armstrong Wiki

BLU'S "Fantoche"

This short from Blu takes his signature grafitti canvas and brings it to life through animation with interesting results. Also see the trailer below for the upcoming film on Blu, Megunica.

Links:
BluBlu.org
Megunica
Wooster Collective (source)
Megunica (SiouxWIRE)

The Darjeeling Limited

The trailer for Wes Anderson's latest, The Darjeeling Limited has surfaced online. See the trailer below and here is the synopsis courtesy of Fox Searchlight:

THE DARJEELING LIMITED starring Owen Wilson, Adrien Brody and Jason Schwartzman is an emotional comedy about three brothers re-forging family bonds. The eldest, played by Wilson, hopes to reconnect with his two younger siblings by taking them on a train trip across the vibrant and sensual landscape of India.

Links:
Fox Searchlight
Supplemental video link
Wes Anderson wiki
Film Ick (source) + Quicktime links

The Voyeur Project

The Voyeur Project from BBDO New York forHBO looks to be an interesting proposition employing the real time techniques of Mike Figgis Timecode with transparent walls. Each floor was filmed separately with its own clock for timing the interaction between each set and the entire collection was then composited by VFX house Asylum. This promotion was directed by Jake Scott of RSA.

Here is the trailer in Flash format. The Quicktime version is available HERE.

Here is Michel Gondry's video for Massive Attack's Protection which makes use of transparent walls though in this case, it was all created in-camera:

Then there's Alfred Hitchcock's Rear Window which didn't employ open walls but did make use of a massive, real time set:

Links:
HBO Voyeur

The Story Gets Deeper
HBO Voyeur Quicktime
HBO Voyeur YouTube
Motionographer article
FEED article
Asylum FX
Protection YouTube
Rear Window YouTube

ANG LEE's "Lust, Caution"

Ang Lee has a varied and consistently interesting catalog of films to his credit including The Ice Storm, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Brokeback Mountain. His new film Lust, Caution is adapted from Eileen Chang's novel and is set during Shanghai during the WWII era.

With Wong Kar Wai stalwart Tony Leung, colourful cinematography by Rodrigo Prieto (who also worked with Lee on Brokeback Mountain), Chinese(Mandarin) dialogue, and haunting strings on the soundtrack, this project looks reminiscent of Wong Kar Wai.

In addition to Leung, Joan Chen and newcomer Tang Wei star. The screenplay is by Wang Hui Ling and James Schamus.

Links:
Lust Caution (Se Jie) IMDB
Ang Lee Wiki
Ang Lee IMDB
Eileen Chang Wiki
Rodrigo Prieto Wiki
Tony Leung Wiki
Joan Chen Wiki
New York Times profile - Ang Lee
Focus Features

DAVID CRONENBERG's "Eastern Promises"

From scriptwriter Steven Knight(Dirty Pretty Things) comes another tale set in the dark underbelly of contemporary London which will be director David Cronenberg's follow-up to A History of Violence. Eastern Promises follows Anna (Naomi Watts), a midwife trying to ascertain the identity of a dead patient which leads her into the criminal underground.

Here is the trailer:

Links:
David Cronenberg - Senses of Cinema
David Cronenberg Wiki
Steven Knight IMDB
Naomi Watts Wiki
Viggo Mortensen Wiki
Film Ick (video source)

CHRIS ATKINS' "Taking Liberties"

I lived in London between 1992 through to 2003 and witnessed the key political events of the nineties. In retrospect, a couple memories stand out. The first is the death of Labour leader John Smith and his replacement by Tony Blair. I remember seeing Blair for the first time and immediately disliking him, but as he gained a foothold against the Conservatives, I thought I'd give him a chance.

The next memory is that of the Labour landslide in 1997. It was incredible watching the worst of the Conservatives fall, but in time it became all too clear that things were not nearly as rosy(no pun intended) as it seemed.

Given Blair's relationship with Bill Clinton, there was a prevailing assumption that he would be a thorn or at least a balance to the incoming Presidency of George Bush. In the early days of Bush's presidency there were two pessimistic premonitions: he will start a war in the Middle East and he'll renew the Cold War. Now where are we today? And even harder to imagine at the time was the possibility that Blair himself would capitulate and stand "shoulder to shoulder" with Bush.

Even more worrying was the escalating deterioration of civil liberties in the wake of 9/11. Thankfully, director Chris Atkins has created Taking Liberties as a response to the increasingly farcical policies of Blair's government which rather worryingly have been supported by the incumbent Gordon Brown.

Here is the trailer:

Links:
Taking Liberties
Guardian Unlimited review

By way of whales... SWIM!

Swimming alongside the craft,
It tipped the raft
And the bottom of the sea
was like snow in moonlight

Putting these posts together, researching for interviews, seeking out new artists, answering questions, aimless wandering, and random links... I see patterns or reoccurring subjects. This week whales have been a regular marker on the path.

Not that I'm superstitious but I like to find some meaning in coincidence if only as an exercise in piecing together random parts. It's a means of looking in a different way. The found elements could each make for a post on their own but as a group, I'm presenting them as chance presented them to me albeit in an organised line-up.

Swim No. 1: Man & Whale

Swim No. 2: Drawing Restraint 9 from Matthew Barney

Here is the trailer for Drawing Restraint 9:

Swim No. 3: Moby Dick from Orson Welles

Kenneth Tynan described Orson Welles' interpretation of Melville's Moby Dick as follows:

Mauled by a whale: On Orson Welles' Moby Dick
At this stage of his career, it is absurd to expect Mr Orson Welles to attempt anything less than the impossible. Mere possible things, like Proust or War and Peace, would confine him. He must choose Moby Dick, whose setting is the open sea, whose hero is more mountain than man and more symbol than either, and whose villain is the supremely unstageable whale. He must take as his raw material Melville's prose, itself as stormy as the sea it speaks of, with a thousand wrecked metaphors clinging on its surface to frail spars of sense. Yet out of all these impossibilities, Mr Welles has fashioned a piece of pure theatrical megalomania: a sustained assault on the senses which dwarfs anything London has seen since, perhaps, the Great Fire. (June 19, 1955) - source: Guardian Unlimited

And here is a clip of Orson Welles...

Swim No. 4: The Collapse of Intelligent Design


Swim No. 5: Enjoying the Etymology of Whales


.