Singh's movie originally opened on the Toronto Film festival in 2006 and was shopped around a few more festivals around the globe, but was immediately blown away by horrible criticism. Variety's Dennis Harvey, for example, called the film "an overlong whimsy" that was "basically a coffee-table book of striking travelogue images masquerading as warm-hearted period drama and fantasy". And unfortunately Roger Ebert, who was a fan of Singh's "The Cell", was sick and couldn't come to the rescue.
Fortunately there are filmmakers with a true sense for cinema as opposed to pure marketability! David Fincher and Spike Jonze decided to organize at least a limited US-release for "The Fall" launching in March 2008. And from only what I have read about the film I hope many, many people will catch up on it and reward Tarsem's courage and unwillingness to compromise -- as well, of course, his great talent to conceive such fantastic imagery and put it on celluloid.
David Fincher describes the film as "what would've happened if Andrei Tarkovsky had made 'The Wizard of Oz'", and if you watch the trailer, you will immediately get what he is talking about. As an inspiration to all you Fincher fanatics out there, here's a great quote I cannot get out of my head anymore:
Tarsem insists he has no regrets about the millions he may never see again. "It's like the old cliché, 'Easy come, easy go.'" he says, noting that with two homes and an Aston-Martin, he's not exactly starving. "Money makes accountants happy. But I didn't want to end up an old guy, sitting around talking about the movie I never got to make."
To me this film looks absolutely mesmerizing! The story sounds fantastic and very inspired -- I cannot wait to see this!
"The Fall" trailer
Patrick Goldstein's article about "The Fall"
very beautiful imagery indeed. i hope it finds its way to dvd, because i think it'll be the only way i'll be able to see it, here in my country.
ReplyDeleteThis is very interesting news!
ReplyDeleteAnd somewhat contrary to Fincher (and Jonze).
On the more humerous side; I remember an
Interview where DF was asked to give advice on how to break into the industry."Never put your own money in the show!" was his answer.
This is of course not to be taken too seriously as it is,so I've been told, one of the oldest Hollywood "wisdoms".
(I think the plot of "The Producers" builds solely on that quote.)
Now, on the more serious side...STYLE (attention: "dead horse beating"!):
I remember how stunned I was seeing THE CELL for the first time, telling
everybody how amazing it is.
Then the DVD came out, I rushed to buy it and....what a Kitschfest!
Three lessons learned (the hard way):
First: A good "virgin viewing" means shit.
Second: A clusterfuck of "borrowed" fine-art
is no justification for a meager plot.
Third: Borrowing from fine-art might be ok, but lingering too long over it
(horse cut-up...talking about a dead horse :-))gives the impression that its your own intellectual offspring.
Three things I absolutely NEVER experienced in ANY Fincher Movie.
Now, helping out a fellow colleague is a noble thing, but I suspect a more pragmatic (=financial) reason.
..."what would've happened if Andrei Tarkovsky had made 'The Wizard of Oz".
A Kitschfest you wouldn't want to see again?
Ouch, Michael you are harsh.
ReplyDeleteHi, Kevin!
ReplyDeleteYeah, I'm having way too much fun again.
As I said, I liked it the first time and, admittedly, that has to mean something.
But really, that Tarkovsky/Oz quote is ludicrous.
Sonds like a book ad. (the trivial kind)
Distributing a movie without previous investment (producing) seems
more like a commercial sure shot. But I'm only speculating.
David Fincher and Tarsem Singh...Andrei Tarkovsky and Michael Bay.
Right?!
THE CELL is good enough if one likes "big butts and can not lie"
and has the masochistic need to see Vince Vaughn NOT beeing funny.
Or: "what would've happened if Damien Hirst had made a "Sir Mix-A-Lot"
video with Meryl Streeps smiling skeleton walking around".
(OK...this is getting out of hand :-))
Maybe THE CELL isn't so bad after all.
But now I'am going to watch ZODIAC again..and again...and again.
Funny stuff Michael. Was never a fan of the cell myself. For me it was always very well dressed up with no place to go. It was a cool idea that never delivered. Not sure about the Oz thing. Maybe I'm too much of a Finker fan to think he would be disingenuous about the film. Maybe I'm wrong, he could be full of shit but I haven't seen the film so I can't say and if i could say; he's still entitled to his opinion of the film even if it differs from mine.
ReplyDeleteAnd another thing Zodiac should just be on repeat.
I cannot seem to find any place showing or distributing it .... any ideas?
ReplyDelete