Suddenly, Last Summer (1959)****

In recalling the career of the late Elizabeth Taylor, I’m reminded of a lesser-known role she played in SUDDENLY, LAST SUMMER, a film directed by Joseph L Manciewicz in 1959. While I didn’t see this movie til sometime in the 70s, it was a shocker, even then, and it’s hard to imagine the impact it had when it was first released.

At the risk of being a spoiler, I’ll say that it was a ground-breaker for Hollywood, in that it addressed, albeit obliquely, homosexuality and, even more obliquely, cannibalism (although some English filmmakers, and actors like Dirk Bogard and James Mason, had already proved themselves more adventurous when approaching the former). And it is none other than Elizabeth Taylor who struggles through the film trying to articulate her recent participation in events generated out of these taboo places. Liz has nonetheless to take a back seat to Katherine Hepburn as Violet. Let’s face it; no stranger to upstaging tactics and techniques, Hepburn acts the pants off Taylor. Liz does a good, if not fantastic, job as Violet’s niece, Kathy, a traumatized ingénue who has been privy to a murderous, living nightmare. Both ladies were nominated for Academy Awards.

I've seen SUDDENLY, LAST SUMMER several times through the years. Every time, I’m thrilled at the brilliance of the film, riveted by the suspenseful build-up of horrifying subject matter; every time, it shocks and appalls. Katherine Hepburn as Violet delivers one of her finest performances as the very rich, fanciful, grieving mother of her only son, the beautiful Sebastian, who died...suddenly, last summer. Elizabeth Taylor is Kathy, Violet's niece, who customarily accompanied Sebastian on the annual summer trip. This time, last summer, Sebastian elected to troll for fun in white hot Spain, where he dies. When Kathy returns to America, she is deeply emotionally damaged.

The circumstances of Sebastian’s death are so traumatic, so grotesque, that Kathy represses all memory of them, except that she occasionally "babbles" a tale of horror. Auntie Violet, powerful and obsessive, and intent on preserving her son's good reputation, has Kathy committed to a private insane asylum. When Violet reads in the newspaper about a doctor (Montgomery Clift: brilliant, even though his staring eyes, as always, often disconcert) at the state insane asylum whose specialty is surgical lobotomies, Violet sees a way to remove, rather than repress, forever Kathy's memory of Sebastian's life and last days.

She offers an extremely generous and much-needed donation to the state asylum, in return for the doctor's performing a lobotomy on her niece. Right now! The production of this movie features marvelous sets, including a jungle-like conservatory full of plants so lush and thriving - even in black and white - they seem almost predatory. Lengthy meetings between Violet and the doctor and, sometimes, Kathy take place in this beautifully menacing setting.

This screenplay of the Tennessee Williams play was adapted in part by Gore Vidal, and it is superbly intelligent and dark. Tennessee Williams and Katherine Hepburn were made for each other (see LONG DAY'S JOURNEY INTO NIGHT for another example of this exquisite pairing) and every aspect of this amazing movie, shot in breathtaking black and white, is perfect. One of the best movies of all time, in my view. A must see, if for no other reason than to celebrate the dark side of Liz.


Reviewed bu Shu Zin

Suddenly, Last Summer (1959)****

In recalling the career of the late Elizabeth Taylor, I’m reminded of a lesser-known role she played in SUDDENLY, LAST SUMMER, a film directed by Joseph L Manciewicz in 1959. While I didn’t see this movie til sometime in the 70s, it was a shocker, even then, and it’s hard to imagine the impact it had when it was first released.

At the risk of being a spoiler, I’ll say that it was a ground-breaker for Hollywood, in that it addressed, albeit obliquely, homosexuality and, even more obliquely, cannibalism (although some English filmmakers, and actors like Dirk Bogard and James Mason, had already proved themselves more adventurous when approaching the former). And it is none other than Elizabeth Taylor who struggles through the film trying to articulate her recent participation in events generated out of these taboo places. Liz has nonetheless to take a back seat to Katherine Hepburn as Violet. Let’s face it; no stranger to upstaging tactics and techniques, Hepburn acts the pants off Taylor. Liz does a good, if not fantastic, job as Violet’s niece, Kathy, a traumatized ingénue who has been privy to a murderous, living nightmare. Both ladies were nominated for Academy Awards.

I've seen SUDDENLY, LAST SUMMER several times through the years. Every time, I’m thrilled at the brilliance of the film, riveted by the suspenseful build-up of horrifying subject matter; every time, it shocks and appalls. Katherine Hepburn as Violet delivers one of her finest performances as the very rich, fanciful, grieving mother of her only son, the beautiful Sebastian, who died...suddenly, last summer. Elizabeth Taylor is Kathy, Violet's niece, who customarily accompanied Sebastian on the annual summer trip. This time, last summer, Sebastian elected to troll for fun in white hot Spain, where he dies. When Kathy returns to America, she is deeply emotionally damaged.

The circumstances of Sebastian’s death are so traumatic, so grotesque, that Kathy represses all memory of them, except that she occasionally "babbles" a tale of horror. Auntie Violet, powerful and obsessive, and intent on preserving her son's good reputation, has Kathy committed to a private insane asylum. When Violet reads in the newspaper about a doctor (Montgomery Clift: brilliant, even though his staring eyes, as always, often disconcert) at the state insane asylum whose specialty is surgical lobotomies, Violet sees a way to remove, rather than repress, forever Kathy's memory of Sebastian's life and last days.

She offers an extremely generous and much-needed donation to the state asylum, in return for the doctor's performing a lobotomy on her niece. Right now! The production of this movie features marvelous sets, including a jungle-like conservatory full of plants so lush and thriving - even in black and white - they seem almost predatory. Lengthy meetings between Violet and the doctor and, sometimes, Kathy take place in this beautifully menacing setting.

This screenplay of the Tennessee Williams play was adapted in part by Gore Vidal, and it is superbly intelligent and dark. Tennessee Williams and Katherine Hepburn were made for each other (see LONG DAY'S JOURNEY INTO NIGHT for another example of this exquisite pairing) and every aspect of this amazing movie, shot in breathtaking black and white, is perfect. One of the best movies of all time, in my view. A must see, if for no other reason than to celebrate the dark side of Liz.


Reviewed bu Shu Zin

Letters to Father Jacob (2009)*****

This stark, introspective drama from Finland is all about religious belief and those that use it to define their lives. A rough edged, convicted murderer (Kaarina Hazard) finds herself suddenly pardoned and released into the care of an elderly blind priest (Heikki Nousiainen). The unlikely pair spends many hours in the Priest’s weedy, wooded yard, where the ill-tempered Hazard reads hundreds of letters from distressed souls seeking prayers. But just when we’re convinced of the film’s familiar, sentimental path, director Klaus Härö veers onto a surprising course that confounds expectations. As hushed and delicate as morning vespers, Letters to Father Jacob is a superb exercise in restrained storytelling and filmic technique. And Nousiainen’s performance is nothing short of extraordinary.

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An Almost Perfect Affair (1979)***1/2

Delightfully silly crud, concerning a furtive romance between Keith Carradine and Monica Vitti, if one can imagine such a thing. Shot during the Cannes Film Festival, the movie is chock full of references to cinematic lore and part of the fun is spotting director Michael Ritchie’s next homage. The charismatic Vitti shows a real flair for comedy, while Carradine finds dramatically compelling reasons to remove his shirt. The whole goofy mess drags on a bit too long, but otherwise the film is a beguiling little time-waster.

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Beware of My Love (1998)***

Fans of the enchanting Natalie Baye will find this somewhat worthwhile, but within the sphere of French romantic thrillers Beware of My Love is wholly unremarkable. It was the 90s, so there is frequent talk of oral sex and allusions to kinkiness, but otherwise the film is a straight run off the Chabrol Imitation Factory assembly line. Theatrically intense leading man Daniel Duval is featured in some impressive full frontal shots. Clearly, he was much more stimulated by the proceedings than we were.

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Venus and Fleur (2004)****

Writer/Director Emmanuel Mouret apparently wants to fill the cinematic space left by the passing of Eric Rohmer, and he certainly has the late master’s ability to make a pleasant and charming film out of almost nothing. Here, two young women in full flower (Isabelle Pirès and Veroushka Knoge) spend their summer holiday at a beach house near Marseilles – sound familiar? – and fall under the spell of an earnest young man (Julien Imbert), who’s much more interested in hiking than romance. The film is so light it virtually dissipates before your eyes, but it may be just the tonic for world-weary viewers seeking a brief vacation.

Letters to Father Jacob (2009)*****

This stark, introspective drama from Finland is all about religious belief and those that use it to define their lives. A rough edged, convicted murderer (Kaarina Hazard) finds herself suddenly pardoned and released into the care of an elderly blind priest (Heikki Nousiainen). The unlikely pair spends many hours in the Priest’s weedy, wooded yard, where the ill-tempered Hazard reads hundreds of letters from distressed souls seeking prayers. But just when we’re convinced of the film’s familiar, sentimental path, director Klaus Härö veers onto a surprising course that confounds expectations. As hushed and delicate as morning vespers, Letters to Father Jacob is a superb exercise in restrained storytelling and filmic technique. And Nousiainen’s performance is nothing short of extraordinary.

---

An Almost Perfect Affair (1979)***1/2

Delightfully silly crud, concerning a furtive romance between Keith Carradine and Monica Vitti, if one can imagine such a thing. Shot during the Cannes Film Festival, the movie is chock full of references to cinematic lore and part of the fun is spotting director Michael Ritchie’s next homage. The charismatic Vitti shows a real flair for comedy, while Carradine finds dramatically compelling reasons to remove his shirt. The whole goofy mess drags on a bit too long, but otherwise the film is a beguiling little time-waster.

---

Beware of My Love (1998)***

Fans of the enchanting Natalie Baye will find this somewhat worthwhile, but within the sphere of French romantic thrillers Beware of My Love is wholly unremarkable. It was the 90s, so there is frequent talk of oral sex and allusions to kinkiness, but otherwise the film is a straight run off the Chabrol Imitation Factory assembly line. Theatrically intense leading man Daniel Duval is featured in some impressive full frontal shots. Clearly, he was much more stimulated by the proceedings than we were.

---

Venus and Fleur (2004)****

Writer/Director Emmanuel Mouret apparently wants to fill the cinematic space left by the passing of Eric Rohmer, and he certainly has the late master’s ability to make a pleasant and charming film out of almost nothing. Here, two young women in full flower (Isabelle Pirès and Veroushka Knoge) spend their summer holiday at a beach house near Marseilles – sound familiar? – and fall under the spell of an earnest young man (Julien Imbert), who’s much more interested in hiking than romance. The film is so light it virtually dissipates before your eyes, but it may be just the tonic for world-weary viewers seeking a brief vacation.

Vibrator (2003)

Reviewed by Shu Zin

Wow! What an exhilarating little gem, Ryuichi Hiroki’s VIBRATOR is! I loved this sensitive, perfectly paced film - which has absolutely nothing to do with a vibrator - just a heads up! The story is about a troubled, but oddly spontaneous, young free-lance writer, who decides to hook up with a truck driver who catches her eye at a convenience store, just as he heads out on a long haul. This is a road story that held me entranced and responsive from the first scene through the last notes of the credits. Astonishingly realistic and subtle, with no apologies, the story develops as these two intelligent, eccentric characters get to know and trust each other.

It is breathtakingly observant, sensual as can be, kindly in its sensibility, and funny, too. All this said, you might be surprised to hear that it moved me to real tears more than once. The production is wonderful, with great, well-observed scenes along the road, a leisurely camera and beautiful composition, and the acting and direction are absolutely first-rate. Shinobu Terajima as the adventuresome writer is astounding and compelling, even though she is no raving beauty; her acting and persona are hypnotic.

The chemistry between her character and that of Nao Omori (the truck driver) is wonderful beyond words; as soon as I buy this DVD, I’m going to check out other films made by Terajima, and by Ryuichi Hiroki, the director. This is the best film I’ve seen in ages. Highly recommended. Postscript: Ryuichi Hiroki also directed TOKYO TRASH BABY, which was quirky, engrossing and richly original, and I AM AN S&M WRITER, also engaging, and very funny. I’d recommend them both and, if you are like me, you might want to see all three of these at the same time, so you can wrap your mind around his style and vision through total immersion. He spent his early years making “pinku” films, by the way, and I think he is one of the most interesting Japanese directors today.


Reviewed by Shu Zin

Vibrator (2003)

Reviewed by Shu Zin

Wow! What an exhilarating little gem, Ryuichi Hiroki’s VIBRATOR is! I loved this sensitive, perfectly paced film - which has absolutely nothing to do with a vibrator - just a heads up! The story is about a troubled, but oddly spontaneous, young free-lance writer, who decides to hook up with a truck driver who catches her eye at a convenience store, just as he heads out on a long haul. This is a road story that held me entranced and responsive from the first scene through the last notes of the credits. Astonishingly realistic and subtle, with no apologies, the story develops as these two intelligent, eccentric characters get to know and trust each other.

It is breathtakingly observant, sensual as can be, kindly in its sensibility, and funny, too. All this said, you might be surprised to hear that it moved me to real tears more than once. The production is wonderful, with great, well-observed scenes along the road, a leisurely camera and beautiful composition, and the acting and direction are absolutely first-rate. Shinobu Terajima as the adventuresome writer is astounding and compelling, even though she is no raving beauty; her acting and persona are hypnotic.

The chemistry between her character and that of Nao Omori (the truck driver) is wonderful beyond words; as soon as I buy this DVD, I’m going to check out other films made by Terajima, and by Ryuichi Hiroki, the director. This is the best film I’ve seen in ages. Highly recommended. Postscript: Ryuichi Hiroki also directed TOKYO TRASH BABY, which was quirky, engrossing and richly original, and I AM AN S&M WRITER, also engaging, and very funny. I’d recommend them both and, if you are like me, you might want to see all three of these at the same time, so you can wrap your mind around his style and vision through total immersion. He spent his early years making “pinku” films, by the way, and I think he is one of the most interesting Japanese directors today.


Reviewed by Shu Zin

Never Let Me Go (2010) ****

Never Let Me Go is an intriguing dose of speculative fiction, set largely in the 1980s, and tracks the relationship of 3 friends - Kathy (Carey Mulligan), Tommy (Andrew Garfield) and Ruth (Keira Knightly) – from childhood to their late 20s. The story contains some familiar thematic elements from popular sci-fi, but places those elements in unexpected pastoral settings, creating a film that’s ultimately an odd mixture of Blade Runner and How Green Was My Valley. The plot hinges on hidden nuggets of information – quite shocking information - that are slowly doled out in baffling hints and whispers in the first act. By the time a sympathetic boarding school teacher (Sally Hawkins, back to being normal again after Happy-Go-Lucky) spills the entire can of Heinz beans, the film has tricked us into caring about these bright-eyed waifs. The explanation makes perfect sense and ties up all the dangling strings, but it’s cold comfort because confusion has been replaced by creeping dread.

Carey Mulligan has a unique ability to play a victim without ever seeming weak or wobbly. It’s a trait she exploited in The Education to great effect and director Mark Romanek leans heavily on it here. The friends eventually graduate from their special school, and take residence on a sort of foster-farm, where they spend their days dodging cow pies while going for long walks through the dales. Mulligan maintains a stiff upper lip through it all, for not only is she fully aware of her fate, she must also contend with the burgeoning romance of foul tempered Ruth and innocent Tommy, for whom Mulligan has carried a torch for years.

As the principles approach their date with destiny, Romanek confounds our expectations by injecting  stately temperance in place of desperation. The film is based on a book by Kazuo Ishiguro, author of The Remains of the Day, and Never Let Me Go has the same repressed loathing of awkward embarrassment; the same admiration for those who allow resolute duty to trump fiery hysterics. When Kathy and Tommy have their last hope for happiness cruelly dashed at a meeting with their retired former headmistress (Charlotte Rampling), it is Kathy who delivers the final blow in an effort to spare all involved  a moment of social unpleasantness.

Through imagining a world devoid of medical ethics, Never Let Me Go is a film that raises questions about what it means to be truly human. Like the subservient household staff in The Remains of the Day, thoughts of individualism or rebellion never seem to enter the minds of Never Let Me Go’s young protagonists. Perhaps such notions have been bred out of the species – the film never really addresses that issue directly – but Romanek and Ishiguro have created a chillingly placid world resigned to sacrifice and subjugation. As the film intently marches to its prescribed conclusion, its fulfillment hits the soul like a sledgehammer. We are accustomed to a cinema of hope, a cinema of catharsis, and Never Let Me Go intentionally swims against that popular tide. Like Kathy, Tommy and Ruth, we are left with poignant memories as our only proof of earthly existence .