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!@#$%! · 06.19.2018, 07:20 PM

ssssoooo.... i’ve paused filmstruck for the duration of the world cup (though i might restart it before the end) and the last thing i was able to catch was a merchant/ivory gig, THE WHITE COUNTESS (2005)

i was of the impression that merchant/ivory films had gone the way of the 90s but no, they seem to still have endured into our century though i haven’t checked how far.

ANYWAY. james ivory directed. ralph fiennes and natasha richardson star. fiennes everybody knows about. natasha richardson i didn’t fucking know and i’m sorry i didn’t and i’m even sorrier she’s dead. i knew of her reported death but i didn’t know who she was at the time except for “the wife of... has died” etc etc

so. the white countess. it’s a kazuo ishiguro script, apparently an original one and not derived from a book.

while this should be all about the writing, in itself the movie is a bit thin on plot— there’s a lot of brooding, and subtext, and looks into space, and overwrought arthouse shit and sometimes just cheesy shit for the tourists. this is bothersome.

but there is a plot after all, and it’s a very good one— it’s about war war 2, and failure, and fear of living, and epicurean gardens, and... the shanghai russians! whom i knew nothing about until the weekend. the shanghai russians were white russians (lookit up, it’s not a racial thing) taking refuge in china post-bolshevik revolution. that was a bit of history i had never heard about. and it was great to find out.

anyway it was a good movie and i liked it. made me thinkof what would i do in case of war, since it seems to be one around the corner for some reason. made me think of the fragility of epicurean gardens. made me think of what would i have to realistically do to survive if i had to flee. etc etc. but anyway, yeah, good little story, a bit of cheesy moments, but o well, it’s merchant fucking ivory, what do you want? a chunk of cheese is the price of admission. still, worth it.

oh, the other good thing about the movie, besides the actors and the bit of history thrown into it and the plot after all, is the cinematography by christopher doyle, who does all the wong kar-wai movies, or has done most of them anyway, not sure. is this his best film? sure as shit not. is it fucking good? yes yes it is. does it at time serve cheesy moments? yes, okay, yes, it does add to the lard at times. but the man is a real fucking pro. admirable work. as always.

okay children, you can get back to discussing CAPES for fucs sakes.

i had a batman scooter when i was 3, i recall.

not a rosebud though. don’t miss it.

06.19.2018, 07:20 PM	#22690
!@#$%! invito al cielo Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: mars attacks Posts: 42,457	ssssoooo.... i’ve paused filmstruck for the duration of the world cup (though i might restart it before the end) and the last thing i was able to catch was a merchant/ivory gig, THE WHITE COUNTESS (2005) i was of the impression that merchant/ivory films had gone the way of the 90s but no, they seem to still have endured into our century though i haven’t checked how far. ANYWAY. james ivory directed. ralph fiennes and natasha richardson star. fiennes everybody knows about. natasha richardson i didn’t fucking know and i’m sorry i didn’t and i’m even sorrier she’s dead. i knew of her reported death but i didn’t know who she was at the time except for “the wife of... has died” etc etc so. the white countess. it’s a kazuo ishiguro script, apparently an original one and not derived from a book. while this should be all about the writing, in itself the movie is a bit thin on plot— there’s a lot of brooding, and subtext, and looks into space, and overwrought arthouse shit and sometimes just cheesy shit for the tourists. this is bothersome. but there is a plot after all, and it’s a very good one— it’s about war war 2, and failure, and fear of living, and epicurean gardens, and... the shanghai russians! whom i knew nothing about until the weekend. the shanghai russians were white russians (lookit up, it’s not a racial thing) taking refuge in china post-bolshevik revolution. that was a bit of history i had never heard about. and it was great to find out. anyway it was a good movie and i liked it. made me thinkof what would i do in case of war, since it seems to be one around the corner for some reason. made me think of the fragility of epicurean gardens. made me think of what would i have to realistically do to survive if i had to flee. etc etc. but anyway, yeah, good little story, a bit of cheesy moments, but o well, it’s merchant fucking ivory, what do you want? a chunk of cheese is the price of admission. still, worth it. oh, the other good thing about the movie, besides the actors and the bit of history thrown into it and the plot after all, is the cinematography by christopher doyle, who does all the wong kar-wai movies, or has done most of them anyway, not sure. is this his best film? sure as shit not. is it fucking good? yes yes it is. does it at time serve cheesy moments? yes, okay, yes, it does add to the lard at times. but the man is a real fucking pro. admirable work. as always. okay children, you can get back to discussing CAPES for fucs sakes. i had a batman scooter when i was 3, i recall. not a rosebud though. don’t miss it.
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