Bill-THE LEGEND-Murray
The jacket and shirt combo, the camera, the pose. What more can I say.
Film Review: Into the Abyss / Death Row
Note: this is a review of Werner Herzog’s cinematic release ‘Into the Abyss’ (on selected release and available online via Curzon Cinema’s website) and the television series ‘Death Row’ (which is currently being shown at 10pm Thursdays Channel 4 and 4oD)
In approaching the subject of the death penalty, Werner’s Herzog’s ‘Into the Abyss’ begins with a Christian Minister recounting a story of a time he was close to running over a squirrel with his golf caddy to which he breaks into tears; a personal reminder that all life is precious be it the life of a frolicking squirrel or the life of a murderer. The emotive impact that nature has over man, is something Herzog has done to effect in many of his films including ‘Grizzly Man’ and ‘Aguirre: The Wrath of God’; films that also represent Herzog’s lifelong directorial enthusiasm in painting pictures of often obsessive, nihilistic characters that exist in social and geographical peripheries. It comes to little surprise ‘Into the Abyss’/‘Death Row’ (a television series of intimate ‘portraits’ with death row prisoner) Herzog explores such themes and ones of a more humane nature, that are well needed to counterpoint the bleak nature of the subject material.
‘Into the Abyss‘ builds it’s narrative from the stories of the numerous parties involved in the tragedy of murder. A large proportion is filmed from the perspective of Werner Herzog who sits in front of a glass panel separating himself and us the viewer from his subjects most significantly Michael Perry on Death Row and his co-defendant Jason Burkett who were prosecuted for three murders. The damage of the death penalty is shown on those for whom it’s a part of life, a profession is shown in a troubling interview with a retired execution room administrator who oversaw approximately 120 executions.
The interviews are dominated by subjects of murder and execution, but there are also accounts of suicides, accidental and premature deaths. Added to themes of inescapable poverty, drug abuse, sexual abuse, absent fathers create a nihilistic existence, the participants of Into the Abyss’/‘Death Row’ are shown to exist in a bleak relentless environment.
At times ‘Into the Abyss’ struggles to avoids padding out the narrative, in particular the testimonies of Jared Talbort and Mrs Burkett; the latter of which a noble attempt to counter the bleak tone but results in a somewhat banal one instead. ‘Death Row‘ avoids such faults as the forty (or so) minute long episodes of ‘portraits’ of prisoners seems a more effective medium to explore the subject.
Peter Zeitlinger’s cinematography for‘Into the Abyss’ is largely functional but due to fewer constraints on narrative development in ‘Death Row’ there is greater opportunity for visual explorations and embellishment. In a episode of ‘Death Row‘ few words are needed for Herzog to effectively create sympathies for prisoner Hank Skinner from a visual representation of his bleak featureless town by captured from a car window.
Mark De Gli Antoni original score is beautiful; the plucked and bowed violin strings create a picture of a Mid Western ghost gold rush town, where disintegrating buildings remain but inhabitants are long gone and it’s stories blow like dust on the wind.
From the very outset (Herzog’s mission statement for ‘Death Row’) the argument against the death penalty is presented but there is a clear absence for it’s favourable perspective; which even if the voice against is clear, support for the death penalty is very strong. The absence of a counter argument is possibly unimportant as ‘Into the Abyss’/‘Death Row’ is Herzog’s personal argument against the death penalty. Despite the faults of ‘Into the Abyss’ it’s difficult to not be taken by Herzog’s compassionate argument against the death penalty, and at the end credits as a citizen of the United Kingdom I was appreciative and proud to be a citizen of a nation that had ended the death penalty 50 years ago.
Film review by Shubs Golder
Film watched at the Ritzy Brixton, as part of the Human Rights Watch Film Festival as the third meet-up of the year.
Film Review: Michael
Markus Schleinzer’s debut directorial feature is a balanced character study that deals with the contraversial subject of paedophilia. Although this is Schleinzer’s directorial debut as Casting Director he has a revered resume that includes Michael Haneke’s ‘The White Ribbon’ and Jessica Hausner’s ‘Lourdes’. ‘Michael’ takes it’s title from the first name of it’s protagonist (Michael Fuith) who works in insurance, does the housework, holidays with friends but has a 9-10 year old boy ‘Wolfgang’ (David Rauchenberger) held captive in his basement….
Schleinzer bases his drama around ‘Michael’s day to day routines; documented to a nature as clinical as the protagonist’s hygiene and security routines. The focus on the mundane creates a sense of normality to give exceptional circumstances proximity to our own existences. The mundane also provide glimpses to ‘Michael’s character and impetus to the storyline; fulfilling the routines provide ‘Michael’ brief moments of pleasure and momentary lapses lead to his downfall.
A great deal of the film is shot within the house itself with some significant exceptions. On a day trip to the zoo and the child seems wary of natural light; the abuse of deprivation of sunlight. Later they pass (presumed) a father and son who respond with little consideration, a suggestion of their seeming regularity, however it is only viewer is aware of their abusive relationship.
Violence and abuse although is never seen at times it’s suggested (a due to Haneke’s‘Funny Games’). One of the most troubling incidents is a shot of a conversation between ‘Michael’ and ‘Wolfgang’ cut to the next, a shot of ‘Michael’ cleaning his genitalia.
The film employs a realist perspective shot with largely stationary cameras with regards to symmetry and light beautifully and wonderfully by Gerald Kerkletz that provide the bleak subject matter with visual grace. In the 96 minutes of the film’s duration focus largely remains but a few moments of black comedy, one in particular (“Which do you want? The Knife? etc etc”) reminiscent of Todd Solondnz’ ‘Happiness’ , are welcome distractions.
As a feature ‘Michael’ is a impressive achievement; the performances are flawless, the direction fits the needs of the story, the screenplay is largely believable and successful in illustrating a horrific situation. ‘Michael’ is a technically accomplished debut, albeit a very difficult film for it’s audience.
Film review by Shubs Golder.
Film Review: Martha Marcy May Marleen
Martha Marcy May Marlene tells the story of a young women (Martha) leaving a cult and fleeing to and intruding on her newly married sister and brother in law’s second home. She has spent the previous two years in a commune where a charismatic leader plays on the vulnerable by offering them a sense of family before taking advantage of them in the most sinister way imaginable. Martha is traumatised by her experience on the commune. She fails to communicate this trauma to her sister thus creating an atmosphere of tension that becomes more oppressive as the film progresses. The film builds to a climax which nicely contrasts the twisted inclusion of the commune “family” against the colder rationality of how some western families exclude those that challenge their social norms.
Elizabeth Olsen plays Martha with a believable mixture of vulnerability and defensiveness and John Hawkes is excellent as the sinister cult leader.
The film holds the attention and is tense the whole way through. It asks plenty of questions, without answering them. Why does the protagonist have such low self esteem, what happened to her parents? I could certainly watch it again; it is an edgy, exploration of when vulnerable people are abused and the difficulty which any abused person faces in ever returning to the mainstream.
Film review by Erik Ridehalgh
Film watched at the Curzon Soho as the second meet-up of the year.
Oscar Snubs, that means you Gosling
I wasn’t clever enough to make that image or that call, so check out Movie Geek’s blog on other Oscar snubs. He’s a smart cookie.
Film Review: Like Crazy
Felicity Jones and Anton Yelchin play two twentysomethings who fall in love at university in Los Angeles. But everything takes a turn for the worse when Anna makes a rather ill-judged decision to stay in America with Jacob for a summer of love, rather than returning home as required by her visa. Returning to the US after a short trip home, she is refused entry for violating her visa conditions. Denied access to each other, Anna returns to London and a job at a magazine while Jacob sets up a furniture business in Santa Monica. The film follows the couple as they go about their lives and try to continue their on-off relationship on separate continents as US immigration authorities and bureaucracy keep them apart. They try to go their separate ways and see other people, but can never quite let go. As the couple get closer to being together again, they increasingly find that they may never recapture the love and romance of their first months together.
Like Crazy is a surprisingly affecting and intelligent film which provides a more realistic and believable love story than I was expecting, even 30 minutes into the film (cynical old me?). Much of the dialogue is improvised and many of the scenes make tense and uncomfortable viewing as Anna and Jacob confront the realities of their separation. Both actors play their parts well, showing in parts the happiness, frustration, confusion and awkwardness of any relationship, which are amplified by their impossible situation. They are ably supported by great turns from the rest of the cast, in particular Alex Kingston and Oliver Muirhead as Anna’s surprisingly understanding and fun parents.
Such a film lives or dies on making you believe in and feel for the couple at its centre. Like Crazy manages this on the strength of its performances despite some annoyances: why can’t Jacob move his furniture business to London if he loves Anna so much? How do they afford such amazing flats straight out of university? If only I could find such a nice flat so cheaply in London…
Despite this, Like Crazy did a great job of pulling me into the film and the lives of its protagonists. You can really believe in the couple and their problems. A less intelligent film might have ended with the problems resolved, the trials and tribulations overcome as love conquers all. But instead it has no such grandiose finish, showing that life does not always live up to the promise of young love. Maybe it’s just me, but it is refreshing to see a film where life does not live up to the expectations of love, something we all surely have more experience of than the perfect romance.
Film review by Rob Whiteway. 
Film watched at the Holloway Odeon, as first meet-up of the year.
Film Review: Bombay Beach
Bombay Beach is a place on the edge of the desert and on the cusp of its own sea.
It was the American dream in the 50s, that faded with floods and dying fish.
It is a semi conscious ghost town, in the poorest county in California.
Bombay Beach, the film, documents the complicated lives that remain there, in a perfect balance between documentary and direction.
With a selection of fascinating characters (an over prescribed child, an elderly nicotine bootlegger, parents with recreational army habits, a teenage with a crush, making his life as a big fish) the film has no judgement.
It was created by a music video director who went on a curios road trip from Cochella to Bombay Beach, who stumbled upon these people.
Alone she made the film over 4 months, on a camera bought from Best Buy, with no crew. It was cheap and self funded, and has since toured the festival circuit to deserved acclaim.
Like a music video, the film is a creative collaboration between the characters and the director. Dance choreographed scenes blend surprisingly and effortlessly into real dialogue. Conversations that were set up, flowed on naturally, recording landmark moments in relationships. And things that happened in front of the camera’s eye without warning, were interrupted only by signing release forms.
Bombay Beach seems like a distant world, possibly from another time, where the children adventure on the barren landscape, everyone in a slightly fantastical existence, sitting outside normal boundaries.
As a result of all this the film is like a music video that’s broken out of its frame, with a soundtrack that sedates the tension to create something stunning and moving.
I want to go to Bombay Beach to see this all with my own eyes, but nothing I see can really be as beautiful as this.
Film review by Vicky Fabbri
Film watched as a London première at the equally amazing Wilton’s Music Hall, organised by Dogwoof, followed by a Q&A with director Alma Har’el.
July and Mills sitting in a tree
Well that makes sense – a talking cat (The Future) and a talking dog (Beginners) – Miranda July (artist / director) and Mike Mills (graphic designer / director) are MARRIED. Why of course.
Can you imagine their relationship? I bloody can (little bit jealous).
Film Review: Dreams of a Life
A lady was found dead after 3 years, sitting on her sofa in north London with the TV still on. This is all I knew about the film.
From that kind of information you make your own assumptions about who the person is, you pass judgement on society and hypothesise how it can happen, exactly what the tabloids were doing years back when it happened. I also assumed this was just a mid weight documentary with a high intrigue story, that I would therefore enjoy nevertheless. But this film defies all that in lots of ways.
Essentially this film is a documented investigation into who this lady was and how this could have happened, by film maker Carol Morley who spent 5 years researching and making the film, initiated by her own fascination with the media headlines back in 2006.
The film is composed of a series of interviews with people that knew Joyce Vincent (the lady found dead in her flat) or were somehow involved with the story, in addition to re-enactments from Joyce’s life.
Through this format the film reveals the story in parts, feeding us isolated information one step at a time assumedly in much in the same way that carol investigated the story herself and discovered information bit by bit, piecing it together until she had a clearer picture but not necessarily answers.
Even with the people that speak throughout the film, we are never told who they are by on screen captions, we find out only as they disclose information. Carol said that this was a conscious decision – that she wanted us to understand these characters by their narrative as we would in an fictitious film.It makes it less prescriptive and although characters have different viewpoints about Joyce, we don’t know which information should be considered most reliable so we take it all in equal measures.
Carol comes from a fine art and not a journalistic film-making background, so although some aspects are traditional documentary style, you can see this as an artistic piece of work exploring and presenting themes and issues, and asking us to discuss.
The film concludes without resolution nor emphasis on the ending of her life, which could raise even more questions, but really these are irrelevant. As a result we saw not a sad story of death, but a story of life, scattered with humour, music, and spirit. The initial premise and intrigue became inferior to a story about human relationships and existence, how people interact and how close we can ever get to each other.
Carol did an excellent job of showing that this wasn’t a case to be solved but to be understood.
Film review by Vicky Fabbri
Film watched as a preview at Genesis Cinema organised by Dogwoof, followed by a Q&A with director and star.
We wish you a Murray Christmas!
Artwork for our next Murray Christmas event on 20 December by the talented Adam Hayes.
Can you guess all the films?
