THEY LIVE (1988) review: "I'm here to chew bubblegum..."

THEY LIVE is a 1988 film starring Roddy Piper and Keith David, written and directed by John Carpenter. The film travels with Nada, a mononymous drifter who discovers that aliens have disguised themselves in society as the upper class attempting to manipulate the population into conformity and admiring the status quo, with Nada there to stop them.

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They Live is arguably not horror, leaning towards science fiction, but what it is – that’s a different story. A recurring theme within the horror category, satire is used to great effect within this John Carpenter classic, the dread being generated from the wonder of aliens controlling our society, disguised as humans. Silly yet extremely disturbing hilarity ensues.

The cast of They Live honestly isn't impeccable, casting a wrestler as your lead man John Nada doesn't call for a mind bending performance, what he does bring however is strangely an Everyman feel on the basis of his non-descript look but also bringing the physique to seriously do damage to the “aliens” that are out there. Now veteran actor Keith David makes a beloved appearance also as Nada’s sidekick, Frank. Watching him in this you just get the feeling that he’s hamming it up and to great effect, he stands perfectly besides Nada to challenge some of his motives but to follow him where ever he leads. Their meeting is one of the most exaggerated, lengthy yet incredible fight scenes of all time within film, they seriously have a fist fight that goes on for longer than 5 minutes. The rest of the cast honestly isn’t worth mentioning to a great extent, they do their jobs but don’t provide anything special.

Written by John Carpenter, the script delivers a generic structure but with the satirical twist on consumerism that is what makes it really memorable and also carrying his script with his own directorial flair, surely taking what was written in the script as one line describing the fight between Frank and Nada and extending that into this elaborately choreographed fight sequence that will forever stick in your mind as a defining moment of his later career. Without that tongue-in-cheek attitude to themes as simplistic as violence and consumerism, They Live might have sufficed as nothing more than forgettable. It’s that idea of being able to see into that otherworldly setting consisting of nothing more than “OBEY. CONSUME. THIS IS YOUR GOD,” that creates that unsettling tone that there is more to society than what we may think. The exaggerated fight scene albeit likely unintentional, could serve to parody the violence seen within American culture also being exaggerated within the time period and to this very day. The bite is what keeps it from fading into obscurity. Direction is competent as you’d expect from Carpenter who had already by this point crafted his name as one of the masters of horror with Halloween and The Thing as well as proving his muscle in other genres with films like Big Trouble in Little China and Escape from New York, the look that he crafted for the consumerist dystopia is chilling, the black and white style with the bold text on billboards and aliens aplenty. It is bold to say the least.

Score is always an interesting thing when it comes to Carpenter’s films as he does it himself, this time with frequent collaborator Alan Howarth. From the very beginning after that title screen fades into the film with that distinct bass line playing away, you know you’re in for a good time. It drills into the monotony that is drifting with our lead traversing train tracks, slums and abandoned areas. At key points within the film such as action sequences the score plays a big part, but it displays intelligence to know when not to utilise sound and music to further increase the impact of a scene, such as yet again that elongated fight scene to highlight the meeting between Frank and Nada. There is nothing but the soundscape of the city in the background, cars passing by and blasting their horns, the sounds of people commuting to really rub in the fact that they’re beating each other down in a grubby back street within the cityscape that is New York. It reinforces that with this scene they as characters are somewhat hitting the bottom of the barrel.

Overall, They Live is a mish-mash of genres, action, comedy, horror, sci-fi, it is how it combines all of these elements to satirise consumerism and American culture is what makes it that little bit more special. There are the one-liners that the lead spits to accentuate the comedy of a scene and to show his badassery such as the infamous “bubble gum” line, the next minute then mowing down what could actually be innocent people. Are they really aliens? It’s unsettling either way, knowing that Nada could be killing innocents or cleansing the world of aliens hidden in our society. It’s this conflicting emotion and themes is what rises They Live from trashy sci-fi horror comedy to classic satire of what was then present in culture and is still as relevant today. Relevance through time is a hallmark of a great film, but not to give it too much credit, it still has some of those trashy elements thrown in for good measure.

FRIGHT NIGHT (1985) review: "Welcome to Fright Night! For real!"

FRIGHT NIGHT is a 1985 film starring William Ragsdale and Roddy McDowall, written and directed by Tom Holland. The film follows the tried and tested tale of a boy with a nightly neighbour as he tries to uncover his neighbour's secret while simultaneously no one believes him. Is he really a vampire? You should be able to guess that from the title.

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Fright Night is another overlooked cult horror gem from the '80s with its campy tone, reinvigoration of old and tired clichés to craft something new and exciting, all done with a coating of satire. What more could you want from a vampire movie?

The cast works to this films charm, some of the acting being bizarrely hit and miss albeit mostly from supporting characters (like the rather peculiar Evil Ed.) William Ragsdale, Chris Sarandon and especially Roddy McDowall all do their jobs good however, the unsuspecting and naive boy, the menacing vampire and the TV horror show host who is roped in to save the day at the last minute. Roddy McDowall, whenever he is on-screen he simply just steals the show. In his introduction, you see him hosting the titular TV show, Fright Night, with all of the little tributes and homage to Universal and Hammer horror films that you would expect. He is just great.

Written by Tom Holland, who clearly has a love for classic horror, he litters Fright Night with all of the little aforementioned tributes to what inspired it whilst also taking what burned out those movies and satirising them or putting them into a new perspective that can only be described as endearing. The whole initial scenario of the late night horror movie marathon on TV oozes a nostalgic feel and even when the film builds into the third act's visceral and very well done special effects bonanza, it still manages to retain a sense of innocence about it that other comedy-horror films can lack. The dialogue is obviously hammy but you get the sense that it wasn't aiming to be special, just an enjoyable romp to take you back to the days of mindless and campy horror, replicating Peter Cushing into Peter Vincent.

Direction again by Tom Holland is done well enough, the film is very much competently made. There is nothing astounding about it, it's again what it looks back to and looks forward to that makes it. There are some slight stylised scenes that again pay tribute to the history of horror and a very peculiar scene involving vampires on roller skates does have a tendency to stick with you, not in a matter of horror but as a reminder as to how bizarre this film can get.

The score by Brad Fiedel, who is most likely more well-known for his work on the Terminator franchise is well done, primarily the theme which accentuates the menacing yet child-like tone that is carried onto the films entirety. The theme also serves for Peter Vincent’s “Fright Night” marathon, proving that the score is stuck within its era, never to leave the ‘80s.

Special effects as previously mentioned deserve another mention, the final act of the film builds into a special effects massacre revolving around decaying vampires in the sunlight. The team behind this deserves applause as it is among the best I've seen for the time period, with the majority of the special effects team going sadly uncredited by the film.

Overall, Fright Night is another must see for fans of campy ‘80s horror and is still worth seeing for those who aren't as it relies as heavily on comedy as it does horror, the fountain of references peppered through the film’s runtime is to be behold. Fans of the Universal horror films from the ‘30s and ‘40s as well as the Hammer horror of the ‘50s and ‘60s will surely be pleased by what is in store for them, a goody bag of horror, a trick or treat minus the trick as there’s nothing to deceive here.

CREEPSHOW (1982) review, "The Most Fun You'll Have... Being Scared!"

CREEPSHOW is a 1982 film starring a whole slew of horror icons such as Adrienne Barbeau, written and directed by the same, Stephen King and George A. Romero respectively. The film being an anthology entails 5 stories, all of which are completely disconnected from one another, displaying gruesome tales ranging from cake-thirsty zombies to crate-hiding werewolves.

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Creepshow is an oddity, in that there has been nothing quite like it since its release. Bizarre, tongue-in-cheek and spiked with hints of black comedy, it has developed a cult following amongst horror fans for its tribute to the EC Comic books of the '50s. (such as "Tales from the Crypt".)

The whole cast of Creepshow is out of whack, a highlight being Leslie Nielsen, of course known for his comedies taking a role in horror playing a belligerent villain hell-bent on revenge. Himself being the highlight because his goofy performance within his segment adds to a horrible dread and suspense that builds throughout, with his just desserts being delivered in a gleefully dark act of karma. Another veteran actor, Hal Holbrook is seen in his segment "The Crate" in a similar fashion but with the lines blurred in just as disturbing of a manner. E.G. Marshall also deserves an honourable mention for his performance as the grouchy old man suffering from mysophobia, a fear of germs as he desperately attempts to save himself from an cockroach infestation in his apartment.

Being written by Stephen King (and also having a very Jerry Lewis like cameo), there is as aforementioned a distinct and tongue-in-cheek tone that is consistent throughout the majority of the anthology tales, a feat to be admired. It also remains faithful in style to what inspired the film being the pulpy horror comics of the 1950s, focusing on tawdry elements of horror relating to monsters and the zombie as seen in the segment "Father's Day". As with any form of media following the anthology format such as the infamous Twilight Zone, some stories are simply better than others. Segments such as "Father's Day" or "They're Creeping Up On You!" pale in comparison to "The Crate", "The Lonesome Death Of Jordy Verill" and "Something To Tide You Over". The latter three building suspense and delivering the trashy thrills to a tee, these tales bring the best and most unique ideas as "Father's Day" whilst having a unique motive, falls flat. "They're Creeping Up On You!" entirely relies on shock value, the gross-out moments involving cockroaches instead of any proper suspense or dread and lacks the tone of the other segments, feeling out of place.

Direction by the once legendary George A. Romero is pretty top notch in terms of the film's execution, you feel as if he got exactly what he wanted with a mix of extreme violence and satire as seen by the over-the-top and often hammy acting seen in the film. Similar to King's writing, you can sense the passion and inspiration taken from the EC horror comics, the film's main homage. This is seen in the comic book elements and imagery displayed throughout the film, with the prologue showing the boy reading the "Creepshow" comic, flipping through the pages as the segments pass with animated stretches in between and is exceptionally used in each of the segments to highlight an intense moment, often regarding a character's ill fate. There is often slight and incredible details on each of the scenes and their sets, an example being the kid's bedroom in the pro/epilogues with horror posters and figurines visible throughout as further homage to classic horror monsters such as Dracula. The wacky tone mixed with the dread and helplessness of segments such as "Something To Tide You Over" show that Romero is on the top of his game here.

The score, especially the theme heard at the beginning by John Harrison is pretty astounding. It creates the perfect mood, when that piano kicks in, it just elevates that weird feeling that the film seems to ooze with excessive style. The frequent use of lower notes on the piano also elevates that all too repetitively mentioned dread, leaving an oddly sickly stomach because of its suspenseful nature.

A note not often mentioned but simply has to be here is the visual/make-up effects by Tom Savini, a make-up legend within horror, stretching back all the way to Dawn Of The Dead with Romero. Everything is great by Savini, from the animatronics featured on the titular Creep to the werewolf hiding in "The Crate", nicknamed Fluffy to even the gross-out stuff with cockroaches in "They're Creeping Up On You!", it's all impeccably well done and it solidifies his work that he went on to further showcase in Day Of The Dead. 

Overall, Creepshow is a must for horror fans, if reading up on the names Stephen King and George A. Romero haven't enticed you or at least in the very little intrigued you then Creepshow will be a lost cause. It is an oddly unique (in the sense of its goofiness, to not give it too much credit) film that doesn't occur too often when two horror icons unite to work together, a given for cult status and even on release day a sleeper hit. If horror is your thing, give Creepshow a look. It might just be the most fun you'll ever have being scared.

"I can hold my breath for a long time!"

CLERKS (1994) review, "37..."

PRESENT PAST TIME is a segment that I wish to dedicate to older releases that I believe are worth talking about, be it bad or good.

Just Because They Serve You, Doesn't Mean They Like You...

CLERKS is a 1994 film starring Brian O'Halloran and Jeff Anderson and directed as well as written by Kevin Smith in his film début. The film gives us an insight into the lives of two clerks and friends working next door from one another, Dante Hicks and Randal Graves. (Played by O'Halloran and Anderson respectively.)

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Clerks still stands the test of time, being released over twenty years ago as of the passing October, it remains as one of my all time favourite comedies, providing consistent laughs and intrigue with every watch.

As aforementioned, Brian O'Halloran and Jeff Anderson both share an equal amount of screen time in their distinct and charismatic characters. Dante is the reluctant Quick Stop worker who is called in when it's his day off after no one is there to cover the shift, with Randal being the opposite, a sleazy and crude yet charming who works at the store next door, RST Video. This is their first on-screen performances and frankly they play it naturally to the point where you would believe that they have been working the dead end job for years before and the years to come. Both O'Halloran and Anderson work off of each other so well in every scene they're in together, playfully bouncing dialogue between themselves with their own quips and in-jokes.

The fellow cast members add to the low-budget charm that is Clerks, primarily consisting of Smith's friends as well as relatives - whilst the acting is quite shoddy due to this, it provides as many unintentional laughs as well as intentional and it sells the passion that went into this film doing whatever they can to make ends meet.

"I'm not even supposed to be here today!"

The writing by Kevin Smith consists of some of the most witty and sharp dialogue that you could ever ask for from a comedy such as this that centres so heavily on said dialogue, the constant back and forth conversations and monologues from characters creates a sense of atmosphere within the film. You can sense the frustration of the characters with their jobs and aspirations with the writing, especially with Dante. It provides some serious laughs because of it's balance of natural dialogue but in exaggerated amounts, characters throwing paragraphs at each other in some pretty serious detail. It keeps you guessing as to what they could talk about next because of it's unpredictability and that only adds to it. Direction isn't fair to be criticised for the budget that the film had to deal with, (that being the astonishingly low $27,500) but to be noted is that Clerks is not a very good looking movie. It's entirely in black-and-white due to said budget constraints and in addition to this it looks really blurry as it was shot on 16mm film which really does hold it back visually. However, props as to how the crew and Smith managed to pull this off on the aforementioned shoe-string budget.

The score is unique to this film in that it entirely consists of licensed tracks, which have famously became known for costing more to license than the film cost to make. It ranges from bands like Love Among Freaks to Alice in Chains or Bad Religion, all consisting of alternative rock, punk rock and grunge which create this gritty tone that somewhat fits with the rough visuals that the film has to offer. It makes the film's most light-hearted moments seem abrasive in tone and crafts a mean spirit surrounding the film which arguably makes it more memorable than it would have been if it didn't benefit from the soundtrack.

Overall, Clerks is pretty much the definition of a cult classic, a diamond in the rough, this quirky little film that got made even though it defied all odds and it truly shines due to that. Sometimes the actual fact that this film exists and how it was actually created overshadows the content in the film itself, but that's not putting it to shame as there is plenty of genuinely funny moments in here. If anything, it's achievement in cult status not only launched Smith's career but also propelled this film into the realms of one of the most iconic independent films of all time with films like Richard Linklater's Slacker (the film that so very happened to inspire this one). It goes to show that anyone can make a film, so long as they put their thought and effort into it... not necessarily saying that the results are always good however.

"You're closed!"

SUPER (2010) review: "Shut up, crime!"

SUPER is a 2010 film starring Rainn Wilson and Ellen Page, written as well as directed by James Gunn. The film looks in on the life of Everyman, Frank Darbo (Rainn Wilson) attempting to save his wife Sarah (Liv Tyler) from the influence of drug lord Jacques (Kevin Bacon) by crafting his own superhero known only as The Crimson Bolt.

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The definition of a flawed gem, Super is a profoundly intriguing mash-up of comedy, drama, satire and countless other genres and is highly refreshing as it dares to take a realistic yet oddly whimsical and also highly emotional look at superheroes, that anyone can be their own.

Rainn Wilson is the aforementioned Frank Darbo, the lonely and socially awkward average Joe working as a fry cook at the local diner. Rainn Wilson is perfectly cast in this role, nailing the little nuances and quirks with his character and standing out; being delusional enough to create his own superhero, but strangely relatable at the same time as he recalls the "perfect moments" from his often disappointing life. He is a train wreck that you cannot peel your eyes from and is truly endearing because of that, as he steps into his wonderfully shoddy costume for the first time and you also then see him in "action" for the first time you can't help but just keep watching and hopefully as I did, laughing profusely. You relate to Frank in some (some I emphasise) of his socially disturbed tendencies but laugh at his extremities, as while his alter ego has good intentions and he has the passion for said ego, he lacks any form of capability to deliver his heroic skills with only one exception in the film towards the end. Rainn Wilson is great in this movie, his whole character is genuinely well performed and you feel bad for him as his character is delivered so sincerely with little odd quirks in his dialogue that delivers the laughs.

 Ellen Page is Libby, a typical girl not too far from Frank who works in the comic book store that he stumbles upon whilst crafting his hero and eventual sidekick. Her character can be seen as one of the many potential breaking points for some audiences with this film, as she gives an incredibly unpredictable and erratic performance as her somewhat unhinged character which could translate to some as annoying. I personally found her ability to snap back and forth between a more down-to-earth Libby to the mentally deranged Boltie astounding, hearing her maniacal laugh drone over the nasty fates of some of the characters within the film. Whilst you may attribute this to borderline psychosis, similar to Frank, her heart is in the right place, only having the best of intentions whilst as Boltie attempting to stop crime with some almost innocent mannerisms, looking to Frank as a mentor and only wants to do good, but for entirely different reasons to Frank. I found Ellen Page to also have been cast very well - she does her character a great service and pieces in quite nicely next to Rainn Wilson portraying the initially innocent comic book girl effectively.

All of the casts performances be it Liv Tyler or Kevin Bacon to Michael Rooker or Nathan Fillion are simply great. Of all of the cast members I do think that Liv Tyler is given the least to do within the film, but she still pulls it off convincingly, similar to Michael Rooker, albeit its good to see the assembly of James Gunn regulars coming together again for another film. Nathan Fillion specifically deserves a mention for his ludicrous parody as The Holy Avenger which is Frank's inspiration for his superhero as he sees his show on TV, delivering cheesy production values and ham fisted morals not too far from a He-Man cartoon, therein lying a cameo from James Gunn himself also. You can just sense the fun they were having when they were shooting those scenes, not saying that doesn't apply to the whole film, but those scenes especially it shows and it adds to it.

"All it takes to be a superhero is the choice to fight evil."

The writing and directing by James Gunn is sadly where most of the film's flaws show, but it is also because of this that this film has an unshakable charm - a personality or an edge to it that is beyond perverse. The film has the same elements that has made past James Gunn films enjoyable like Slither, lots of violence and bizarre humour, but what Super has over Slither is an emotional core to it which takes it past trashy and merely entertaining to something that sticks with you long after the film is finished and it for me at least demands repeat viewings. The movie really does subvert your expectations, making it either a delightful surprise or deceitful trickery to a viewer, it is also because of this that it struggles to find a consistent tone, taking a somewhat realistic tone going to an absurd dream sequence then going to a full-blown explosion of violence by the end. A particular thing that I liked the most about Gunn's writing in Super is that it's not about the costume that Frank wears. He's on his own spiritual journey that only happens to have a costume attached, it's about him. Not the costume, one of the only things established near the beginning of the film and kept consistent. It is because of this inconsistency that I believe the film provides charm however, as how often does a film like this emerge; taking a simple idea and running with it in one of the most intriguing and hilarious ways possible. Direction is well done, siphoning the best possible performances out of each of the cast members, regardless of their role. I particularly liked the use of handheld cam throughout the movie, giving it a slight shake and a natural feel to the film, not overdoing it and crossing over into the realms known only as shaky cam. The film has to be immensely applauded for its looks, looking better than some films with four or even five times the budget, it just looks great. The animated intro and comic book elements inserted into reality are very well done and only add to the entertainment value.

"Maybe I couldn't shoot beams out of my eyes or fly..."

The score by Tyler Bates is great, it fits in perfectly to the more light-hearted segments of the film. The track in particular "Two Perfect Moments" is my favourite, sticking in my head for several days after hearing it. The score is mostly composed of clean sounding instruments to create this ideal feeling of whimsy, as heard on the aforementioned track and the rest of the score. It also makes use of some licensed music, adding to the montage sequence where Frank utters some of the movie's best lines, also fitting near perfectly.

Overall, Super is a flawed film most definitely, but it is undeniably one of the most unique films I've seen in a long time and is not just highly entertaining - it sticks with you because of its charm. The emotional core that the film has as mentioned prior is where that charm lies, you care for Frank so much through his disappointments and sadness and really want to see him with a satisfying conclusion. Whilst it may not be the one that he wanted, it definitely leaves him in a better stance on life than in the one where he started. It's not about the "superhero", it's about the man beneath the costume. I would highly recommend Super to those who are looking for something different, a weird combo of twisted humour, violence and surprisingly a heartfelt tale of self-discovery that so many people have sadly overlooked.

SYNECDOCHE, NEW YORK (2008) review, "Everything is more complicated than you think..."

SYNECDOCHE, NEW YORK is a 2008 film starring Philip Seymour Hoffman and being written as well as directed by Charlie Kaufman. The film follows theatre director Caden Cotard as he struggles with his work and attempts to craft the most uncompromising play imaginable, whilst trying to manage his own personal demons such as his fear of death and being forgotten by his loved ones. However, his excessive commitment to realism within his work causes the boundaries of his life to be blurred between his fiction and his reality.

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There’s a reason the late and great Roger Ebert hailed “Synecdoche, New York” (2008) as the best film of the decade in 2009. “Synecdoche, New York” stands the test of time as one of the most thought-provoking dramas of all time. Whilst it may seem nonsensical initially, it grows on you as you explore the multi-layered story and the film’s countless themes as well as the exceptional performances from every actor seen within the film, no matter their screen time.

To start, the cast. Philip Seymour Hoffman stars as Caden Cotard, the troubled theatre director. His performance within “Synecdoche, New York” is my personal favourite performance throughout his career. Initially, you feel pity upon his character, suffering from the tasks of everyday life: routine, repetition and so on. However, as the film progresses, how Hoffman reflects his character ageing and his worries of death left an irrefutable mark on me as a viewer, as his views and worries are then reflected onto you. The symbolic nature of his character is seen further upon knowing that Caden’s second name “Cotard”, is a reference to “Cotard’s syndrome”. The delusional belief that a person thinks that they are already dead, adding onto Hoffman’s performance and his fear of death. The somewhat chilling performance from Hoffman and the motives of his character are seen from the start, with his character consistently reading the obituaries within the daily newspaper and nothing else. Death is his only concern. Caden is essentially the definition of self-pity. The character of Caden Cotard stands as Hoffman’s career-defining performance, even after his passing. This film was the first film I watched after his aforementioned passing, not because of the film’s theme of death, but because it is a performance and a film to be remembered by.

Catherine Keener takes the supporting role as Adele Lack, Caden’s wife. Following on from Hoffman’s performance is another strong performance, the character of Adele could be seen as the opposite to Caden. She has no focus or fear of death, she just wants to enjoy life as it comes instead of worrying about the future and eventually tackles her life’s aspirations. The burden on her character initially is their only child, Olive (Sadie Goldstein). She is dealing with their life problems as Caden attempts to dodge them in his depression, you can feel that Caden is being arrogant with his pity and Adele is the one there to take care of the issues. The look of her character whilst with Caden is genuinely tired and disappointed with her life and you become as invested in her performance as you do with Hoffman’s.

The rest of the cast, Samantha Morton, Hope Davis, Tom Noonan and Emily Watson are all equally to be proud of their performances as there is not a single weak performance within this film. The reason I don’t wish to talk about them and breakdown their characters is because it would ruin the film for first-time viewers, for the sake of spoilers. They are all to be applauded immensely.

"I'm just a little person..."

The writing and directing effort by Charlie Kaufman is masterful, as with his previous films such as “Adaptation” or “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind”. With this film comes the recurring subject often seen within Kaufman’s previous work, the state of the human mind and it perception of reality, desire, dreams and in this film, death. The writing task undertaken by Kaufman is immense as you feel that Caden crafting his masterpiece reflects on to Kaufman, he is writing his masterpiece, joining the journey that Caden is going through. The amount of subtleties presented within “Synecdoche, New York” is beyond perplexing, Kaufman’s intention is for the viewer to watch it repeatedly and have a different experience each time, be it because there is a detail you missed the first time around or derive a different interpretation because you’re in a different mood or even years later when you’re a different person. What particularly fascinates me about the writing done by Kaufman within this film and his previous films is how Kaufman himself leads a deeply private life yet interjects so much of his personality into his work. It is truly a wonderful insight into his mind, fears, regrets and triumphs. While it may struggle to ring coherent for some initially, it eventually builds to become the definition of melancholy. A bitter sweet tale of a man’s life on Earth. As also mentioned, it is the directorial debut of the veteran writer and it is a strong debut. The style of his direction is similar that of Spike Jonze, which isn’t surprising as he has been the director of Kaufman’s scripts like “Being John Malkovich”. However with this slight similarity, Kaufman takes his already personal script and owns it, it allows him even more creative freedom to tell the story that he wants to tell when he handles both the departments of writing and directing. On the topic of this, some critics of “Synecdoche, New York” may disagree with me, thinking that Kaufman needs a director like Spike Jonze (or Michel Gondry for that matter) to keep Kaufman's ideas restrained, focusing on crafting as cohesive of a narrative as possible. I feel that the film's difficult and surreal structure only enhances it, adding to the film's message about life. This however, is the cause of frustration for most, audiences struggling for something to follow or grab onto instead of allowing the story to be told to them as the film operates on a different plain of reality, a deeply personal reality that some will get and some won't. That aside, Charlie Kaufman is a personal role model and I shall always await his next film, no matter the subject matter. “Synecdoche, New York” only solidified his already spectacular body of work.

"One person in a sea, of many little people..."

The cinematography seen within this film is by none other than Frederick Elmes (Blue Velvet, Eraserhead), and is sharp and done to a level of precision that blends nicely with the rest of the film. It remains devoid of colour, having a heavily desaturated look, all in the name of depression. It is a very dim looking film with a few objects standing out from the colour palette to display significance or intensity, therefore it is difficult to comment on, however it serves its purpose and is well done to the standard necessary from Kaufman.

A final note about “Synecdoche, New York” before moving onto a conclusion is the score composed by Jon Brion, notable for his early work with Paul Thomas Anderson on films like “Magnolia” or “Punch-Drunk Love” and also on Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Tracks like “Little Person” really do bring an already depressing film down on it's knees, not surprising considering Kaufman wrote the lyrics from most, if not all the score heard within the film, keeping in line with the films explored themes and tone. The melancholy felt whilst listening to a track like “Something You Can't Return To” is honestly overwhelming, yet addicting. The score is just as distinctive and bizarre as the visual aspects of this film, compiling together to create this sinking feeling, a feeling you can't describe, but it's wonderful, a feeling I've felt while watching no over film, it overwhelms you and your senses. An incredible score.

Overall, “Synecdoche, New York” is a triumph of cinema. It is a meticulously crafted insight to Kaufman's thought process and a fascinating one at that. It is definitely a decisive one however, some, like myself will find it engrossing from start to finish and demand multiple viewings. Others will find that it is pretentious nonsense that demands no more than one viewing or not even a viewing at all. Whatever you may think, you have to commend Charlie Kaufman for creating one of the most uncompromising efforts ever seen within cinema, it is that lightning in a jar that you don't see often due to studio interference or reasons similar. Whilst it may have been the definition of a box office bomb, it has garnered a cult following with an also polarised view of the film, just like the critics. It deserved better, as this essence of creativity is very rarely seen, and is becoming less and less common within popular cinema. How unique this film is demands that you should see it, or at least try it – and while you're watching it, remember that the end is built into the beginning.

"Who are not aware of me..."

BLUE VELVET (1986) review, "An idyllic small town..."

It's a strange world...

BLUE VELVET is a 1986 film starring Kyle MacLachlan, Isabella Rossellini and Dennis Hopper, as well as being written and directed by David Lynch. This film follows Kyle MacLachlan as Jeffrey Beaumont, a curious young soul who discovers a seedy underbelly to his small town when he discovers a severed human ear in a field after visiting is sick father in hospital. The less you know the better.

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Blue Velvet is yet another one of my personal favourites, it is simply the quintessential small town mystery.

Kyle MacLachlan takes the starring role of Jeffrey Beaumont, the aforementioned small town teenager. This role sees MacLachlan in quite possibly what is the biggest opposite possible when compared to Dune, David Lynch's prior work, it is easily MacLachlan's best performance alongside his famed character Special Agent Dale Cooper in the simply wonderful Twin Peaks. Jeffrey is played as an unassuming and mostly naive character by MacLachlan as he dives into the underworld of his small town of Lumberton. You really do feel for Jeffrey throughout his oddly perilous journey, even though his journey is as a result of his curious nature. However, this is a situation that most can associate with, especially when at a young age, wanting to experience new and dangerous things just to see what its like. Taking any opportunity. MacLachlan's soft-spoken manner and brittle physique compliment the character of Jeffrey nicely, that he is a curiously fragile character who only returns back to his home town after his father suffers an almost fatal stroke. It is quite amazing how such an understated performance can have a lasting impression that sticks with you, even seeing the film with repeated viewings.

Isabella Rossellini takes the secondary role as Jeffrey's somewhat love interest, a mysterious woman which is the cause of Jeffrey's intrigue and eventual trouble. Similar to MacLachlan's character is that Dorothy Vallens is involved with the wrong people, of how she got there is never explained. She is left to struggle as she is controlled by the underworld that she entered presumably long ago. Another stand-out performance in a film chock full of stand-out performances, the initially elegant Dorothy is found to be a very vulnerable and lonely woman as the film progresses and those layers to her character is what makes the performance ever so special. She is tortured and is struggling as she is used by the underworld and Jeffrey is seen to be her way out of it.

Dennis Hopper is Frank Booth, the film's main antagonist and what is seen to be the leader of the town's criminal underbelly as Jeffrey uncovers his criminal actions ranging from drug abuse to horrible feats of sexual violence and murder. Hopper is truly unnerving in this film, his unstable look and dark presence making any scene involving his character feel uneasy and often beyond disturbing. How his character arrived at this sorry state is up for debate, but what isn't up for debate is that this exceptional performance essentially revived Hopper's career after previously reaching his peak with films like Easy Rider and a supporting role in Apocalypse Now. This film demonstrates how perfectly versatile Hopper as an actor was, prior to passing away recently. It is definitely a performance to be remembered by.

Finally, fellow Lynch collaborator, Laura Dern takes the other innocent actual love interest of Jeffrey, Sandy Williams. Dern is no stranger to the surrealist mind of David Lynch with this being her very first performance with Lynch, effectively leading her into his world as with her character. Her performance is by no means weak, but her character falls into a similar situation that Jeffrey subjectively benefits from, that some may consider a con, that her acting is subdued in order to what I feel is to project your image onto their characters and follow their experience as it is your own.

The other fellow cast members including Dean Stockwell are to be equally lauded, all of the characters within this film are well performed, it's difficult to find a bad performance in any of Lynch's work.

"Blue velvet..."

The cinematography by another previous Lynch collaborator, Frederick Elmes stands as sweet yet haunting after it's initial ruse of a perfect suburbia with a less than perfect dark side. Elmes serves his purpose with some distinctive camera work, such as the shot of Jeffrey hiding in the closet from Frank in the trailer seen above, the shadows cast upon his face. Meticulously done. A final note is the contrast between the neighbourhood scenes and the noir-esque scenes whilst in the criminal underbelly is outstanding.

The writing and directing seen by David Lynch in this film is amongst his best work. As much as I love the pure unadulterated Lynch seen in his films like Eraserhead, I feel that I enjoy Lynch's films that slight bit more when some of his mannerisms are restrained as they can become self-indulgent to a degree. Blue Velvet benefits from the human element of Jeffrey, something that even more general audiences can easily connect to and grasp a hold of. In retrospect also, the idea of a small town mystery has became a well-trodden setting since Blue Velvet's release, giving it a sense of familiarity to those who may have seen works inspired by this very film and then go back to watch and see the resemblance. That aside, the writing injects Lynch's trademark surrealist style and adds a twist of film noir, with the tortured femme fatale that is Rossellini's character, not only leaving it at that but adding the erotic elements seen within the film also.The symbolic nature of this film in how it is written is also of note, with the ear that Jeffrey enters and eventually leaves by the film's climax serving a note as his character entering and leaving the criminal underbelly. It takes a now conventional plot and puts it on it's head. His direction is as always incredible, always having a knack for it, giving his actors a surreal world to move around in, with distinct character movements and actions. He knows exactly how to gather the best performance for what the film demands, nailing it to a tee.

"And I still can see blue velvet..."

The score by the legendary Angelo Badalamenti is his best, with the film's ending track "Mysteries of Love" featuring Julee Cruise being the perfect way to end the film, with the ambient and surreal tracks throughout highlighting the nightmarish scenes that Jeffrey finds himself going through. The score is a mix of a classical style with timeless pop songs such as Bobby Vinton's "Blue Velvet" or Roy Orbison's "In Dreams", reflecting the David Lynch's attempt at a timeless setting as well as serving to flesh out the tone of the film, being neo-noir. The juxtaposition between the classical score and licensed music adds to the unsettling aspects of Blue Velvet. It is an incredibly memorable score. You'll have the line: "She wore blue velvet..." drilled into your head before the film is over and sticking with even after it is over.

Overall, Blue Velvet is a classic within American cinema and stands as my favourite David Lynch film, tied with Mulholland Drive. It combines so many different elements and creates a subversive and unquestionably surreal story that enthrals you until the end, whilst it may be confusing or too disturbing for some, fans of Lynch such as myself, those who are looking for an entry point to Lynch's filmography or are just wanting to see something ever so different, I would definitely recommend Blue Velvet. It's too good to pass up.

"...through my tears."