Splitting cracking throbbing headache. Want to write short reviews on the two movies I've watched.
Wake up on Day 2. 12 hours of sleep, with one hour dinner and one hour reading half way in between. That was my Saturday.
In the book 'the stone diary' (or is it 'diaries?'), she described the tension in Mercy's chest as 'an accordian held sideways', fans out, heaving and held stagnant. I liked that description, making me a little hard to breathe. On the road a scene came in mind. She turned and saw a woman moving towards her, her dress dark like dried blood. Then she realized she was staring in a mirror. It was a vivid red satin she was wearing that night. I can't recall where it came from, maybe 'life is elsewhere'? Not quite.
- Links -
Wiki
Movie Official Site
Director Tom Tykwer's Homepage
Trailer
The movies. Thanks to gang who's a real movie reservoir. I wanted to watch 'Perfume' in cinema. It might have been a great experience. The screenplay was based on a 1985 classic horror novel by German author Patrick Süskind. The story's set in 18th century France where the protagonist Jean-Baptiste Grenouille was borne to a fish monger mother who had 5 still births or semi-stillbirths before. The opening scene depicts a revoltingly filthy wet market filled with low-lifes and rich with stench (you could imagine) and meat slashing sound by butchers gutting pigs and wretching out their intestines. Grenouille's equally filthy mother felt a sudden pain in her stomach and the next second she laid down on dirty floor and virtually 'ejected' Grenouille, cut the cord with a fish knife and went back to business. I watched that with wide open eyes, what??! That's how you labor?? Okay...
Spoiler-free synopsis: Grenouille's a freaking prodigy who knows all the scents in the world. His nose is sharper than dogs but the only weird thing is he doesn't have a scent of his own. Driven by the desire to preserve all possible scents including that of humans (pheromones), Grenouile's apprenticed to a perfumer Baldini who fails to satisfy his quest sadly but suggests he go to Grasse where Grenouile learnt the techniques of maceration and enfleurage (ie. extracting plant oils by absorbing and distilling fats). That's where a series of murders begin...
Perfume reminds me of 'Girl with a pearl earring'. The antique colours and artistic settings are similar. The soundtrack is splendid. You can feel its brilliance throughout the movie. The ending is, well, unexpected and exaggeratingly black humor. It's sad to see the magic of his mastery in scents could 'conquer' the whole world but brings no satisfaction to himself eventually.
The director also directed 'Run lola run'. Now you make the connection. More connections: The song "Scentless Apprentice," by the American rock band Nirvana, was inspired by Perfume. It appears on their 1993 album In Utero. The band's singer and guitarist Kurt Cobain often described it as one of his favourite books.
Switch gear to Babel.
- Links -
Official Site
Babel @Wiki
Director Alejandro González Iñárritu @Wiki
Trailer
Babel is a smart, montage-like film that pieces together different geographical stories which weave one whole story in jumpy temporal frames, like putting together jigsaw puzzles spelling out a warning to us 'You need to LISTEN' (that's the theme and tagline). The origin of the word 'Babel', from Wikipedia, is the name used in the Hebrew Bible for the city of Babylon (Akkadian Babilu), notable in Genesis as the supposed location of the Tower of Babel.According to Genesis 11:1-9, mankind, after the deluge, traveled from the mountain where the ark had rested, and settled in 'a plain in the land of Shinar' (or Senaar). Here, they attempted to build a city and a tower whose top might reach unto Heaven, the Tower of Babel.The attempt to build the Tower of Babel had angered God who, in his anger, made each person involved speak a different language which ultimately halted the project and scattered and disconnected the people across the planet.So you get the idea. 'Babel' signifies failed communication and how disconnected people have become.
*Spoiler warnings*
The story started out rather innocent (or maybe not). Two Morocco brothers played with a hunting gun and the younger one accidentally shot a woman on an American tour bus. You can imagine the huge uproar in the States where the name 'terrorism' is promptly coined to address the severity of issue. Being trapped in a remote village where both transportation and the freedom to verbally communicate with the locals are rather hopeless, the woman (Kate Blanchett, Brad Pitt's wife) was dying from blood loss. I forgot to mention the couple was on bad terms with each other, on the brink of a divorce it seems. Political interference delayed proper medical attention and help from American Embassy came rather late. Possibility of death and eternal separation however rescued their desperate love. So far so good for the Americans. But look at the Morocco family. The police was brutal either due to this 'terrorism' pressure or they were just like that (I doubt). I shall not elaborate...
The above was the central story which took place in Morocco. The other three took place in America, Mexico and Japan. The babysitter of the couple's kids is a Mexican. It was her son's wedding but she was told to stay and take care of the kids. A chain of events led to her being permanently expelled from America. The Japanese side of story shared the least link. The hunting gun was originally from a Japanese business man who gave it to the local guide as a gift. The story however is based on his mute & deaf daughter who desperately wanted love.
Overall the movie shouts a negative tone on the Americans. Arrogant and selfish. Or is it my own impression...
Pilobolus...
Is the name of a dance company. Too many vowels that conjure up a funny sounding name, just like their innovative,gymnastic dance style that has some humourous elements in the movements.I got to know them from this TED video here. Recently Pilobolus performed at 79th Oscar.They imitated movies behind a big screen. The effect is stunning.
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