Thursday 31 March 2022

Cries and Whispers



The 50th Anniversary of the classic Ingmar Bergman film is being given a new 4K restoration piece in honour of the season of work to mark Liv Ullmann's Honorary Oscar award last weekend. Cries and Whispers was one of ten collaborations between the actress and director.

Released in 1972, the film depicts the relationship between three sisters - Agnes (Harriet Andersson)  is slowly dying, and the other two Maria (Ullmann) and Karin (Ingrid Thulin) whom have to deal with her impending death while dealing with their own problems such as infidelity. While the two sisters cope with their own trauma, they seemingly cannot handle the impending grief, leaving life-long maid Anna (Kari Sylwan) is seemingly the only individual capable of giving the chronically depressed Agnes, the comfort she requires.

While repression and troubling memories resurface for all involved, Bergman paints the picture of grief and bubbling resentment with his heavy use of red in the mise-en-scene and explosion of colour on the screen to startling effect, in this haunting examination of the soul.

A showcase for three Scandinavian actresses and the master director at the height of his powers, the film is a great gateway for new cineastes of Bergman's work and a reminder to familiar fans of the power of his craft, and how he frequently could draw from the power of theatre into his best filmic work, this chamber piece is beautifully captured by Sven Nykvist.

Cries and Whispers will have a UK wide release on screens from 1st April via BFI Distribution, follow the link to find a screening near you.


Liv Ullmann Season at the BFI in April 2022

The BFI Southbank season ‘LIV ULLMANN: FACE TO FACE’, will showcase her acting work, not only with Ingmar Bergman, but also with fellow Norwegian pioneer Edith Carlmar and with Jan Troell. As a director, her films showing in the season include FAITHLESS (2000) (also released on Blu-ray by the BFI on 11 April) and MISS JULIE (2014). A special event, Liv Ullmann In Conversation, takes place at BFI Southbank on 8 April. Selected films will be on BFI Player for one month from 11 April. In addition to in person appearances from Ullmann, the season will also feature introductions and Q&As with film programmers, journalists and curators including season programmer Sarah Lutton, BFI Festivals Director Tricia Tuttle, T A P E Collective’s Nellie Alston and film journalist Christina Newland.


Tuesday 29 March 2022

Back to the Future Musical Review

 



Sunday 27th March. 3pm GMT. A monumental day in Musical Theatre History

As a Christmas present, had the pleasure of seeing the new Back to the Future musical at the Adelphi Theatre on London's Strand. 





BTTF is one of my favourite films of all time, a screenplay that is perfection and features two great performances in Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd whose friendship is tested by 30 years, and yet the story of Marty McFly travelling back in time in a DeLorean to 1955 to encounter his parents before they meet and putting in peril the space-time continuum is the basis for a new musical built around the inspirational score by Alan Silvestri with new original songs and lyrics by original screenwriter Bob Gale and Glen Ballard.



The show is a jumping gigawatt of energy and enthusiasm, from the outset there have been adjustments to bring the show up to the 21st century with the removal of Libyan terrorists completely and satirical asides about the future, 'No hunger, no war, no disease'.

The songs at the start of the show do not carry muster personally speaking, and it is only the injection of Doc Brown (portrayed here by Mark Oxtoby, understudy to Roger Bart) that the show and songs raise their game as the friendship between Marty and Doc takes centre stage, this is a friendship that has to stand the test of time with Marty knowing what may happen.

The show is further helped by the portrayal of George McFly by Hugh Coles (Olivier nominated and favourite perhaps) who takes the socially awkward and guffawing of Crispin Glover's screen performance and amps it up but maintaining a genuine sincerity to the role, his arc culminating in the punch to Biff which rightly gets a round of applause by the audience.

                                 

The second act begins with a storming '21st Century' number for Doc Brown that helps crank up the pace of show that does not ease up, leading to George's punch of Biff, and Marty's playing of guitar with 'Johnny B. Goode' and 'The Power of Love'

Further, the technical wizardry on offer at the show is outstanding, the use of the stage incorporating the DeLorean as an actual prop and device that can move thanks to back projection and lighting heralds a new dawn of theatre going with an immersive, special effects driven show. A car has flown on stage before with Chitty Chitty Bang Bang but this is added effect and it pays off.


By the film's conclusion, with Silvestri's marvellous horn driven score sounding out this viewer (and his wife) had a happy tear rolling down his cheek. It was like I was watching the film again for the first time, the thrill of the car reaching for 88mph.

This show is suitable for fans old and new of the film, and for new theatre goers also this is a great gateway to the magic of musical theatre, great sense of enthusiasm and enjoyment by all, with people singing along to Huey Lewis' mega-hit. This is something for all ages.


Back to the Future
is at the Adelphi Theatre, London where tickets are available.

Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday 7.30pm. 

Wednesday/Saturday 2.30pm Matinee. Sunday 3pm Matinee

It has been nominated for 7 Olivier Awards which will be awarded in April; including Best New Musical, Best Lead Actor in a Musical (Olly Dobson) and Supporting Actor in a Musical (Hugh Coles - one to watch).

Monday 21 March 2022

Liar Liar 25th Anniversary


‘Liar Liar’ at 25 – Review | The Film Magazine (thefilmagazine.com)


Liar Liar (1997) was Jim Carrey's first original comedy outing since his incredible 1994 when he burst onto the screens with three mainstream classic films at once to display his zany, off the wall comedic stylings. From the sketch comedy of Ace Ventura: Pet Detective to the comic book insanity of The Mask to the unlikely hit Dumb and Dumber, each film showed off a feather in Carrey's bow showing he could carry a film on his own as the pet detective to working with special effects and as a double-act opposite Jeff Daniels.

Liar Liar was more of a by the numbers comedy, a film based upon a simple premise in the same vein of a Jerry Lewis film - a lawyer who struggles to connect with his son forcing him to miss his boy's birthday must not tell a lie for a period of 24 hours owing to the son's birthday wish, it just so happens to be the big day of his biggest case, and the threat of his ex-wife taking his son away from him with her new boyfriend. As the trailer showed the son, 'My Dad is a Liar', the teacher responds 'No you mean a lawyer' to which Max just shrugs, indicating is there really a difference.

The film's poster was built around Carrey as Fletcher Reede, he being front and centre in front of the film's title and the trailer showed off many a chuckle, yet the film is a consistently funny film as Carrey's character navigates the obstacles and struggles of this 24 hour period where his truth will see you free.

The film has a neat two day trajectory of narrative, the day before he has to stop lying and the day when he cannot lie, the economical structure allows for convenient growth of characters but also allows two sides to a character to appear from one day to the next.

Liar Liar taps into the everyman appeal of Carrey that he mined so effectively in The Mask as Stanley Ipkiss, that loveable down on his luck guy who catches a break and we find another side to him when he dons the eponymous face mask. As the lawyer who deceives and bends the truth to his will, Carrey taps into the complexities of the lawyer in mainstream society yet comments that every lawyer may have a family, Fletcher learns that he really loves his son and desperately does not want to lose him in his life.

The supporting cast is a trove of mid-90s comedy favourites, from Jason Bernard as Judge Stevens who appeared in While You Were Sleeping, Jennifer Tilly as his client who will stop at nothing to gain financial dispensation for the dissolvement of her marriage,  Amanda Donohue whwho had a long career in Hollywood playing the sexual nymph on many occasions yet you also see Maura Tierney as his ex-wife who wishes he could be better and is now partnered with Cary Elwes (The Princess Bride, Men in Tights) who while a dab comedic hand himself plays the role very straight.

Carrey is a ball of energy that comes to the fore when he has to interact with people once he has to tell the truth - from his assistant with the awful haircut to haranguing a room full of brown nosers where his truthful depictions of people is encouraged. It culminates in the court scene when he moves to strike himself from his own disposition and yet convincingly wins the case despite knowing he cannot and should not, ironically a lie from his client proves to be his way to winning of the case.

The film became somewhat of a return to form for Carrey following the disappointment of Ben Stiller's The Cable Guy (1996) where he was paid $20m for a film that did not meet expectations, the dark slant of the text not hitting for audiences. Liar Liar promised a more return to form with Carrey front and centre with different dance partners on a thin premise allowing his zany performance to come to the fore, as shown by the outtakes at the conclusion of the film, Carrey was given free rein to improvise where possilbe.

The film did very good business again for the man who was slowly becoming the most bankable star in Hollywood and proved a box office hit making $181m in the United States and it is down to Carrey who elevates mundane material. Carrey was again cemented along with Tom Hanks and Will Smith as the most bankable star in Hollywood, that marquee name that could open a film alone no matter the subject matter of the film.

Fletcher Reede is one of Carrey's great comedy performances, full of controlled comedic chaos from beating himself up in a bathroom and fighting a blue pen he wishes to be red. The next performance he made was Truman Burbank in Peter Weir's The Truman Show, Carrey's attempt for legitimacy playing a man unknowingly moulded and manipulated by a larger corporation. That film would mark a sea change for Carrey in his attempts for Oscar glory returning to such roles in Man on the Moon and sadly returning to out and out comedies such as Bruce Almighty (2003) and Yes Man (2008) all too infrequently.



Where it sits in Carrey's oeuvre - much like Bruce Almighty?


Thursday 17 March 2022

Stephen Carr - Golden Goal

STEPHEN CARR 



For a three year period, Stephen Carr was possibly the most consistent right-back in the Premier League. A robust, stout individual but one who despite the perception of being unathletic could and did not stop running for the full 90 minutes. A reliable defender who would hassle left wingers not allowing them opportunities to deliver killer balls, but it was in the other final third that he became a somewhat hidden gem.

On October 23rd, 1999 he famously scored a rocket against Manchester United in a rain-soaked encounter, the goal soared past Fabien Barthez from a 45 degree angle from 30 yards out, the shot was as true as an arrow.

That goal won Carr great acclaim, and anytime he ventured forward he was encouraged to repeat the trick and while lightning rarely strikes twice, there is another goal he scored that deserves further appraisal.

On the last day of the season, Sunday 14th May 2000 – the same season as the Manchester United strike - Tottenham were at home against a Sunderland side that had exceeded expectations finishing 7th with Kevin Phillips scoring over 30 goals in a season.

In a drab typical end of season affair not much is memorable in a 3-1 home victory apart from near the end in the 82nd minute.  With Sunderland throwing bodies forward for an equaliser, Carr intercepted a cross from the right hand side and pounced on his own interception 30 yards from his own penalty area. He headed the ball clear away and gave chase when others would have deemed it a lost cause, he kept the ball in play by the touchline and found open space ahead of him due to the over-commitment of Sunderland going forward. Then Carr found himself alone 25 yards from goal devoid of support from teammates.  As he entered the penalty area he tried something.  

Ahead of him the Sunderland keeper Thomas Sorenson is off his line not sensing danger and with the ball at the corner of the 18 yard box, he attempted to pull off an audacious chip to the far corner and has the chip went in the air, a hush descended around the stadium as they waited for the ball to land.

When it landed in the far side of the net, a beautiful roar of disbelief, admiration and joy.  Stephen Carr had just put the icing on a convincing win with a goal that was more unbelievable due to it being achieved by a right back - it was a goal of speed, determination and at the end pure grace akin to another former Tottenham hero who scored a wonderful chip – Glenn Hoddle (v Watford, 1984).

Being Tottenham fan, it seems without the promise of glory in competitions, we still have great goals to savour and remember from Hoddle to Waddle and Gascoigne to Ginola.  Stephen Carr provided it not once but twice in a season; the United goals is more fondly remembered – the opposition, the weather, the surprise of the strike and it lives on in the annals of Sky Sports’ coverage. Yet the only clip of the goal is a grainy YouTube clip that seems to be running at a different speed, yet you can see how audacious the goal is. A goal scored by a player at the height of his confidence capable of taking on a whole team on his own as if you were in the playground.

 



 

Playing right back yourself growing up there is an affinity towards players like Carr and those who came before and after him; at Tottenham there have been some good versions of the right back from Dean Austin and Alan Hutton to the modern day Kyle Walker and Kieran Trippier.  Carr was at the forefront of an altering landscape for full backs. Gone were the days were you were meant to just defend like Lee Dixon and Nigel Winterburn, a full back could venture forward if your end product of crossing or shot was worthwhile and you can see it now in the development of players such as Gareth Bale, Seamus Coleman and now Trent Alexander Arnold – these players dazzle and entertain but all bomb forward seeking to score goals but they can do so due to the initial ventures of players like Stephen Carr.



Monday 7 March 2022

FILM RE-VIEW: The Lost City of Z


James Gray is an established American film director, one who is capable of making rich dramatic pictures based around class and hierarchy in small structures creating fissures of tension as two male protagonists go head-to-head such as Mark Wahlberg and Joaquin Phoenix as small time hoodlums in The Yards and the pair reuniting again in We Own The Night as Wahlberg and Joaquin Phoenix take down the mob.

Gray has a fondness for America especially the city of New York, yet following a miss with Two Lovers (Phoenix again) he made the admired The Immigrant, an attempt at dealing with the history of New York and the Ellis Island influx of immigration following the first world war. A rich looking film detailed in production design, costume and faithfulness to the era.

His next film was to be his most ambitious film to date, a story about one man's desire and obsession in finding proof of an early civilization deep in the Amazonian jungle. 

We first meet Major Percy Fawcett (Charlie Hunnam) in Cork, Ireland in 1906 - a servant of the British Army on placement in need of career elevation but let down by a 'poor choice of ancestors' and so stuck in his ways. Until salvation comes from the Royal Geographical Society who request him to London to help with their need to mark out the correct border between Bolivia and Brazil, where the prize is rubber at the end result. Fawcett has done studies of cartography and longs to gain credit for his work in his own right and the adventures of an explorer to boot.

The first trip sees him accompanied by his aide-de-camp Mr. Costin (Robert Pattison) who with native guides travel along the treacherous River Verde to find the source of the said river. After much tension and obstacles - tribes, disease, piranhas - they reach the start of the river, a mystical looking waterfall that once explored further offers trinkets of a by-gone civilization older than that of Machu Picchu, evidence that natives in the jungle forged a lifestyle of precision living off the land wholly, uniquely and succinctly banishing the idea that they be savages and less than human.




Fawcett returns to give his findings and is met by resistance by the entitled pomposity of his privileged world, he promises to return with a new member James Murray - who conquered Antarctica - in his stead. Murray turns out to be a deadweight, unfit for the jungle and unbecoming to the work involved. He restricts their progress, and save killing him they send him to a camp but Murray pours oil all over their supplies cutting short Fawcett's attempt. His rancour towards Murray back in London in 1914 is overshadowed and forgiven as the world is at war with Germany. 

Fawcett is then given a brigade in the Somme in 1916, the push leads him to falling ill succumbed by chlorine gas. He survives and is given a promotion he craved to Lieutenant Colonel and this gives him the chance if his body allows to return to the jungle for one last attempt to find the lost city. He sets off on his trip with his son Jack (Tom Holland) in 1923, the world has changed following the Great War and the chance to seek something for fear of a war happening again is Jack's wish.

Fawcett's obsession is dealt with expertly, he is not a white saviour but a man who respects those who are living off the land and as he states, 'we are all made of the same clay'; yet the undying wish to find this civilization is not his undoing but more so a man who was a few years too early for his wishes to come true and if there was no war perhaps he would have made his discovery.




The point to be made of this film and one Fawcett attempted to make was that for us as a modern day civilisation to progress and change we need to look back at that which came before, learning from mistakes and setting about change with respect to others and all. Fawcett's generation did not learn as following his disappearance in 1925 only 15 years later the world was at war again. And as a write this, another tyrant is attempting carnage and chaos in Ukraine.

Like all of Gray's work there is an attention to period detail in terms of costume and make-up, the mise-en-scene of production design, and the set design of the drawing rooms of London from the Geographical Society to the club when Fawcett meets Costin asking for him to join him for one last hurrah. 

There are also some lovely painterly shots captured by Gray and his DoP, Darius Khondji, especially when Fawcett and Son are leaving for their last expedition, as the car looks back at wife Nina (Sienna Miller) and the remaining children the camera lingers and the house overshadowed by a large tree and beautiful cloud filled skyline is reminiscent of the work of Constable or Turner.




The final act is expertly handled, the dread of impending doom upon the two Englishmen in the darkest of territories a la Apocalypse Now and the flashback of Fawcett at the christening of Jack, where Nina reads a letter to her husband she wrote in case she did not survive childbirth, borrowing a quote from Robert Browing 'A man must learn to reach beyond his grasp, or what's a heaven for?'

That encapsulates Fawcett neatly, a flawed man almost in name and in life, an idealist whose desire to seek wisdom and make up for those other white men who enslaved the natives before him, he calls to mind a quote I read recently, 'the search for wisdom is lost on that man who is wise', Fawcett had wisdom but it was perhaps the unwillingness of his contemporaries and peers that remains the most worrying aspect of this period. The complacency of this gilded age set in their ways, fearful of change and the new.







An attempt by Hunnam to reach for the mainstream attention by playing a flawed lead across many years, Pattison's attempt to stay hidden from his good looks in the media's age and a platform for Holland to show some range.

The final scene with Nina seeking one last rescue attempt of her departed Percy and Jack, is met by her leaving the Royal Geographical Society through a foliage entrance of the premises, as if she is returning to nature amidst all the chaos and to borrow from The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, 'when we left it was a wilderness, now it is a garden' yet sometimes we yearn for those stiller, more quieter times in our life but perhaps the shot is Nina making peace with the realisation that her two men will not return to her and so she is accepting of that and joining them spiritually in their resting place amidst the jungle. 

When this film was first released it was marketed as a mature adult tale of adventure and yarn yet for me it is more like a Sunday afternoon matinee film that needs to be re-assessed as a cautionary tale full of adult themes but enveloped by ambition and opportunity. A good film that should be seen by many and all as it serves as a reminder that the only thing that can hold a man back is himself. A film that will grow in popularity and influence in years to come. A film about teaching humanity compassion and humility amidst the ever-growing chaos that surrounds it, more prevalent today than ever.



 



Wednesday 2 March 2022

The Natvral Returns




Kip Berman returns from a brief hiatus following the release of his highly acclaimed 2021 release, Tethers, with a new single 'A Portrait of Sylvie Vartan', a limited 7" single released on 26th April on Prefect Records.

For fans familiar with the sumptuous release the single is a reminder of his amazing Laurel Canyon summery sound with his heartfelt delivery married with sun kissed folk guitar, stemming from his days as frontman The Pains of Being Pure at Heart).




Of the track, Berman says, 'A Portrait of Sylvie Vartan’ is about the allure and the limits of self-invention, and the ways we relate - or don’t - across oceans, language, and time'

Berman is slowly becoming the troubadour of the post-pandemic world, his album Tethers reached critical acclaim and reminded this listener of the early works of Ryan Adams from his Gold period of 2001 - touching lyrics, heartfelt delivery with a breezy upbeat feeling.

The single is a special 7" limited edition vinyl restricted to 240 copies on green vinyl. It can be ordered here.

In further news, The Natvral will be touring in the UK in late April after Easter starting in Cardiff with stops in Scotland and with a headline show at The Grace in London on April 26th before dates in Spain and Portugal. Tickets are available here


New music from any new artist is a joy, and for old and new listeners, Kip Berman/The Natvral is one to watch this year.