Directed by Guy Maddin
Written by Guy Maddin and Toles
Based on an original screenplay by Kazuo Ishiguro
Towards the end of this film, Broadway producer Chester Kent is stabbed in the stomach by shards of broken glass. While watching this scene, I was consumed with envy because having my abdomen eviscerated with broken beer bottles would have been a welcome alternative to watching this movie. And that's without my knowing the whereabouts of the nearest hospital to the screening room. Within 45 minutes I was ready to walk out of this boring, pretentious waste.
The film takes place during the Great Depression in Winnipeg 1933. Isabella Rossellini plays Lady Port-Huntly, a double amputee beer baroness, who announces a contest to find the saddest music of the world. The winner will receive $25,000. Contestants from all over the world enter, including Chester Kent and his brother Roderick, who travels as a Serbian under the name, Gavrilo the Great, Europe's Greatest Cellist.
It is a strange and incestuous group of characters that are all metaphoric creations rather than real people in a story. They are abstract ideas so there's no reason for the viewer to care about any of them. When the movie starts, Chester is involved with an amnesiac nymphomaniac named Narcissa. We later find out that she is Roderick's wife. She ran off and to cope with her son's death she simply forgot about it. Before the film began, Chester used to be involved with Lady Port-Huntly. They were in a car accident one night and Chester's father, Fyodor, who was himself previously involved with the Lady, amputated the wrong leg while in a drunken state.
Although he had been doing well in the competition, Chester begins to see the Lady again. Their motivations to rekindle their affections are unclear but why should this plot point be any different. To help deal with his guilt in crippling the Lady, Fyodor builds her legs made out of glass and fills them up with beer. During the climatic musical showdown, the Lady makes an appearance in Chester's grand spectacle, showing off her legs to the crowds. Before anyone can argue about fairness and impartiality, Roderick's cello hits such a high note that he shatters her legs. The film ends in a fiery blaze as the brewery burns to the ground, paralleling the viewing experience.
Article comments
1 - Rene
I have seen this movie at the international film festival in rotterdam. If you are open for experimental movies, you do not want to miss this one I think.
2 - ClubhouseCancer
The movie is mythic, brilliant and hilarious.
There would be no point in addressing this "review" point-by-point, as the writer obviously has no interest in breaking the film's visual code or delving deeper into its silliness. Hint: It's (partly) a poltical allegory.
I don't believe that one person's failure to understand a film constitutes willful obfuscation from the filmmmaker, as the reviewer states.
Let no one be discouraged by the above review " see this movie for yourself.
To point out just one thing, the movie is not "poorly shot," but rather a sumptuous feast for the eyes. Truly strange, iconic imagery, taking inspiration from '30s movies, old newsreels, and a zillion other sources, tells much of the story.
3 - ClubhouseCancer
On the other hand, I can certainly understand that it's not to everyone's tastes.
4 - CordialChaos
I fail to understand what the draw of the movie is. I would caution that tastes vary greatly. Some may find the smell of the Durian fruit to be appitizing, other find it nauseating; same with this movie.
This is just as bad as the mindless blockbusters that are nothing more than a showcase for special effects - no worse, because this one hides under the lable "Art"
5 - Triniman
Guy Maddin's style is quite a bit different from the mainstream and his films are an aquired taste. This film is very creative and I for one appreciate something way off the beaten path, once in a while.
However, some people are better off sticking to more easy to digest fare.
6 - El Bicho
Some people convince themselves "different from the mainstream" implies quality. That's certainly not the case here.