On an Unseen Killer in Contagion

A horror film where the killer is completely unseen, but without the exploitative violence of the Final Destination series (2000 - 2011), is what Steven Soderbergh’s Contagion succeeds in being. Obvious comparisons will be made with Outbreak (1995), yet Soderbergh and screenwriter Scott Z. Burns have achieved a far more terrifying and realistic portrayal of a worldwide disease outbreak. Even more terrifying with the recent bird flu and SARS scares. The film has drawn together a very impressive task, yet the star of the film remains the unseen killer, which is a shame as the characters and acting are great, but have little space to stretch their legs and become people we really invest and care in. Instead, we leave Contagion scared of touching our own faces, which is still, quite an achievement.

On Questions of Paradox with Pina

Arriving at cinemas not long after Cave of Forgotten Dreams (2010), Pina is another 3D film by a director one wouldn’t assume to embrace the new technology, Wim Wenders. Next up is Martin Scorsese’s, Hugo (2011). The paradox here, as with Cave of Forgotten Dreams, is that the subject matter of Pina is aimed at a very specific, niche audience, yet the technology is primarily used to enhance box office by charging more for cinema tickets and appealing to a larger audience. Pina began life as a documentary about Wenders’ close friend and choreographer, Pina Bausch. Sadly, during filming, Bausch passed away and the film became a tribute to her work, complemented by interviews with the key dancers in her company, reminiscing on their lives with Pina. Without knowledge of dance, or of Pina Bausch, this could have been a difficult film to watch. Attempting to add your own meaning to the dances would prove fruitless and lead to one missing much of the excitement. Yet, Wenders’ skill as a director turns this into an overwhelming experience that should simply be allowed to wash over oneself. The dancing is impressive and the choreography incredibly creative. Wenders’ matches Pina’s creativity with his own and because of this the film, which could realistically be very isolating for some people, becomes a joy to watch.

On Questions of Identity in Les Quatre Cents Coups

Throughout Francois Truffaut’s enduring coming of age classic, Les Quatre Cents Coups (The 400 Blows), Antoine, the young lead is referred to as “the kid” and repeatedly reminded, “Your father gave you your name”. This raises interesting questions of representation and identity (his paternal father, isn’t even his biological father; he remains an unknown). Especially, when we consider that Antoine (also referred to by his surname at school), dresses fairly uniquely ain the academic environment, yet is then later regimented into life at the delinquency school by being forced to dress as everyone else. Essentially taking away Antoine individualism and further reducing his identity. There are many reasons that could be pointed to in an attempt to explain Antoine’s behaviour, but maybe by referring to a separation between individual and name, Truffaut is suggesting that young children, at the time, being pushed through an ineffective academic system and not experiencing adequate support at home, were unable to find a foothold in life from which to propel themselves forward. Therefore, a life of petty crime and inoffensive misbehaviour follows. In addition, where there is a lack of empathy from all levels of authority (parents, teachers, police, politicians) is it any wonder that negative representations of youth abound? It is important to remember that this is also a film that refers to the draft, meaning the French indo-China conflict in Vietnam. This further reinforces the statement that Truffaut was commenting upon the uncertainty faced by young people, especially young boys. By referring to Antoine in the ways mentioned above, is he being unconsciously prepared for a future where he will be another faceless nameless statistic, whether one to do with crime or war? If so, separation from one’s identity is the perfect preparation for such a desolate future.

On the Reverberating Ripples of Tyrannosaur

There are some scenes that will live throughout film history. The tyrannosaurus rex approaching the unprepared visitors in Jurassic Park (1993) is one of them. That this scene would become a pivotal moment of a British social realist film eighteen years later was probably less certain. Tyrannosaur, Paddy Considine’s feature film debut, is a startlingly realistic portrayal of one man’s struggle to contain his rage and of one woman’s experience with domestic violence. When these two characters’ lives are juxtaposed the results are difficult to turn away from and difficult to watch. This film is driven by an appropriately paired down direction and an equally appropriate powerful performance from Peter Mullan. This is not always easy viewing, it challenges the audience, but the results will resonate.

On Style and Violence in Drive

Stylish, violent and terse. Nicholas Winding Refn’s film and his lead protagonist of Drive, known only as driver, are all these things. In keeping with the classic representation of heroic men (brusque, romantic, brave) so common amongst western films, Refn creates a contemporary hero with an added dimension. Psychotic. This extra dimension makes for interesting cinema. The scenes with Ryan Gosling’s driver (excellent as always) work brilliantly; Gosling is able to make the brooding, threatening good guy work. Where the film moves away from Gosling and deals with the external gangsters who threaten his steady existence it struggles. The dialogue feels very clichéd and a return to driver’s actions are badly needed. Yet, overall this strange mix of genres (western, neo-noir, action) works very well and that is mostly down to the superb direction and lead performance.