Due to the upcoming Holiday, I thought I’d get the next installment of Hidden Treasures out a bit earlier than usual. Enjoy!
A Man for All Seasons (1966)
A stage play, no matter how successful it may be, does not always translate well to film. After all, film is a visual art, whereas theatrical drama, by its very nature, is driven by its dialogue. There is that rare occasion, however, where a play is so well written, so intelligently crafted and so intriguing from start to finish, that it transcends its medium, and is a rousing success in any form. A Man for All Seasons, Fred Zinnemann’s 1966 Award-Winning adaptation of Robert Bolt’s long-running play, is but one example of such a success. It is also one of the best examples. In order to secure the succession of his dynasty, England’s King Henry VIII (Robert Shaw) divorces his queen so that he may marry Anne Boleyn (Vanessa Redgrave), whom he hopes will finally bear him the son he so eagerly desires. Sir Thomas More (Paul Scofield) is the Lord High Chancellor of England, and has always been a loyal servant of the King. However, Sir Thomas is also a servant of God, and when the Church of England splits from the Roman Catholic Church over the issue of the divorce, Sir Thomas resigns his position and refuses to recognize the king’s new marriage. Sir Thomas also takes the dangerous position of refusing to swear an oath of loyalty to the new Church of the land, despite the best efforts of the King’s ministers, including Thomas Cromwell (Leo McKern) and The Duke of Norfolk (Nigel Davenport), to convince him otherwise. A man of principle, Sir Thomas will not succumb to their ultimatums, and is willing to stand alone against his egomaniacal King and carry his moral stance with him, if necessary, all the way to the grave. As portrayed in A Man For All Seasons, Sir Thomas More was a man of principle. I admit that I was impressed by his moral stance; his adherence to what he believed was right, and as a result, I did respect the man. I also must concede that Thomas More was a much better man than I could ever hope to be. Truth be told, if I were in his position, with the good graces of an entire country at my disposal, I would have caved to public pressure in a heartbeat. This is probably why I hold A Man for All Seasons in such high regard. Every now and again, I think it’s good for us to realize that what we do, what we say, and how we behave may not always be the correct course of action. Sir Thomas More remained a man of principle to the end, always true to himself and his philosophies. He was a rare breed if ever there was one, and this film captures his indomitable spirit perfectly.
La Femme Nikita (1990)
At first glance, director Luc Besson’s La Femme Nikita appears to be little more than the story of a highly trained female assassin. In reality, the film is much more complex, weaving the dramatic tale of a deadly killer who, through desperation and countless hours of soul searching, ultimately discovers that she is a woman after all. Nikita (Anne Parillaud), a street junkie sentenced to life in prison for the murder of a police officer, is given a chance to redeem herself when she is ‘volunteered’ by the French government to train as an undercover assassin. Her instructor, Bob (Tcheky Karyo), is firm but fair with his newest pupil, and sees in her the makings of a great secret agent. After three years of training and a very dangerous ‘real-time’ test, Nikita is released into the world with a new identity and the promise that she’ll be contacted shortly to carry out her first mission. Suddenly forced into the uneasy role of homemaker, Nikita makes a trip to the local supermarket where she meets Marco (Jean-Hughes Anglade), a cashier. The two strike up a romance, and Nikita falls deeply in love for the first time in her life. But will this new relationship be strong enough to survive the reality of her violent profession? Despite what you may assume from the film’s trailers, the most impressive aspect of La Femme Nikita had little to do with the film’s various action sequences (which are, truth be told, exciting and highly charged). Instead, I found myself drawn to the story of Nikita’s transformation, where a rugged, violent tomboy changed into a beautiful, elegant woman right before my eyes. Anne Parillaud is pitch perfect as Nikita, equally convincing as both cold-hearted killer and beautiful woman in love. So astonishing was this transformation that, at first, I believed two different actresses had played the role. Parillaud’s performance is absolutely wonderful. La Femme Nikita works on every level it attempts to reach, and is all at once exciting, tense, and touching. By the time Nikita’s story reaches its climax, we have witnessed an incredible metamorphosis, where a violent young girl becomes an attractive, alluring woman. But don’t let her new demeanor fool you. The fact remains that, no matter how elegant Nikita may become, she’s still someone you wouldn’t want staring you down through the view scope of a rifle.
Elephant (2003)
Elephant will shake you. Don’t doubt that for a moment. Inspired by the tragic shooting spree at Columbine High School on April 20, 1999, Elephant employs an observant, documentary style to bring a similar tragedy as close to home as we can possibly bear. It’s a normal school day for many students at this suburban High School in Portland, Oregon. They make their way to and from class, visit the cafeteria, the library, and the offices, discuss what they’ll be doing after school, and arrange meetings with each other for later that day. But for many, these plans will never come to pass. An unexpected shooting spree will result in the murder of some, while simultaneously changing everyone else’s lives forever. Elephant unfolds its events in a random order, and at times we watch the same scene play itself out two, maybe even three times, each from an entirely different perspective. John (John Robinson) and Eli (Elias McConnell) bump into each other in the hallway and stop to chat. They eventually part company and go their separate ways. From here, John walks outside the school, just in time see Alex (Alex Frost) and his friend, Eric (Eric Deulen), who are dressed in army camouflage and carrying large duffel bags. “Get out of here and don’t come back”, they tell John, and John proceeds to warn everyone he comes across that something very bad is about to happen. When we next witness this same exchange between John and Eli, it’s much later in the film. This time, we follow Eli as he walks to the library, all the while knowing what’s happening at that precise moment in the schoolyard. We know, but Eli doesn’t, and is in grave danger as a result. Director Gus Van Sant uses the repetition of such events to wonderful effect. By re-visiting scenes like the one above, he establishes a timeline that successfully intensifies the film’s dramatic tone. We know what unfortunate others do not, and are powerless to help them. Van Sant presents each sequence of Elephant as if in full documentary mode, resulting in a level of realism that is rarely seen in a non-documentary film. It’s almost a cliché to say “it was a day like most others”, but Elephant shows us that it was just that, and the film’s tragic finale is all the more distressing as a result.
“Do you like Phil Collins? I’ve been a big Genesis fan ever since the release of their 1980 album, Duke. Before that, I really didn’t understand any of their work. Too artsy, too intellectual. It was on Duke where Phil Collins’ presence became more apparent. I think Invisible Touch was the group’s undisputed masterpiece. It’s an epic meditation on intangibility. At the same time, it deepens and enriches the meaning of the preceding three albums. Christy, take off your robe. Listen to the brilliant ensemble playing of Banks, Collins and Rutherford. You can practically hear every nuance of every instrument. Sabrina, remove your dress. In terms of lyrical craftsmanship, the sheer songwriting, this album hits a new peak of professionalism. Sabrina, why don’t you, uh, dance a little. Take the lyrics to Land of Confusion. In this song, Phil Collins addresses the problems of abusive political authority. In Too Deep is the most moving pop song of the 1980s, about monogamy and commitment. The song is extremely uplifting. Their lyrics are as positive and affirmative as anything I’ve heard in rock. Christy, get down on your knees so Sabrina can see your a$$hole. Phil Collins’ solo career seems to be more commercial and therefore more satisfying, in a narrower way. Especially songs like In the Air Tonight and Against All Odds. Sabrina, don’t just stare at it, eat it. But I also think Phil Collins works best within the confines of the group, than as a solo artist, and I stress the word artist. This is Sussudio, a great, great song, a personal favorite.”
