Several days ago I entered the cinema auditorium at The Cornerhouse expecting to see an interesting piece of film making. I got that and much more , it has taken me this long to truly process just what it was that I experienced. And this is an experience. A lavish, visual treat that may well be the most aesthetically magnificent film I have seen in recent times.
"The Fall", based upon the 1981 Bulgarian film "Yo Ho Ho", was shot over the period of four years by renowned commercial and music video director Tarsem Singh (although he prefers just plain Tarsem). His last foray into mainstream film was 2000's Jennifer Lopez sci-fi thriller "The Cell", an early indicator that Tarsem had a talent for creating elaborate and stunning visuals.
After the critical and commercial disaster that was "The Cell" it became increasingly difficult to find funding for "The Fall". However, Tarsem was so taken by the story that he plunged millions of dollars of his own money into the project, which saw shooting in 26 locations in 18 countries across the globe.
This is one of those films that I could rave about for hours, so you will be surprised to hear that the plot of the story is relatively straightforward. The year is 1915, a stuntman named Roy (Lee Pace) has been admitted to a Los Angeles hospital after an accident on the set of a new "flicker". In another ward a young girl named Alexandria (newcomer Catinca Untaru) sits with an arm in a cast, writing a note to the hospitals chaplain apologising for deriving her enjoyment from throwing apples at him whenever he crosses the courtyard. Upon trying to deliver the note, by means of throwing out of a window, it falls into the hands of Roy in a room below. Alexandria goes to retrieve the note but is taken in by Roy's charm and is curious to find out more.
Roy and Alexandria form a friendship of sorts; Roy now begins to tell Alexandria "an epic tale of love and revenge" that takes patients and staff from the hospital and places them in exotic lands with new personalities. Roy is now the Black Bandit, the leader of a group of buccaneers out for the blood of Governor Odious who has done each of them a terrible injustice. The story loosely follows the love triangle that has left Roy heartbroken and features Alexandria's favourite nurse (Justine Waddell) Evelyn as Princess Evelyn and Sinclair (Daniel Caltagirone); the film star who stole Roy's girlfriend, as Odious.
The story is simple, yet captivating and is given much more weight through amazing visuals that were created without any computer-based interference. The fantasy characters, as you would expect from a children's story, are suitably one-dimensional and yet marvellously entertaining (point in case: Charles Darwin...yes that one... dressed like a pimp and regularly talking to Wallace, his pet monkey). Its all really rather clever when you realise that although Roy is narrating the story, we are seeing events through the eyes of Alexandria. This is especially evident and sweetly funny when Roy begins to talk about a character who is an Indian, living in his Wig-Wam with a squaw. Alexandria has never learned about the American Indians and so the character is portrayed as a bearded, turban wearing man from India.
The story starts to take a darker turn as we start to realise that Roy has a personal motive for weaving his tale. He is depressed after losing the love of his life and realises that he may never walk again and so he attempts to captivate Alexandria enough so that in return for continuing the story she will steal morphine for him from the dispensary. Alexandria has invested a lot in Roy's fantasy world, as have the audience, but it is now up to Roy to decide whether The Black Bandit, and indeed himself, are to survive.
This film is a beautiful blur between fact and fantasy as witnessed through the eyes of a child. It managed to evoke feelings in me that I thought I had lost many years ago. It was genuinely refreshing to see a film so moving and yet equally sweet, funny and visually arresting.
I cannot recommend this film highly enough.
5 Stars!!!
The Fall - Trailer
"The Fall", based upon the 1981 Bulgarian film "Yo Ho Ho", was shot over the period of four years by renowned commercial and music video director Tarsem Singh (although he prefers just plain Tarsem). His last foray into mainstream film was 2000's Jennifer Lopez sci-fi thriller "The Cell", an early indicator that Tarsem had a talent for creating elaborate and stunning visuals.
After the critical and commercial disaster that was "The Cell" it became increasingly difficult to find funding for "The Fall". However, Tarsem was so taken by the story that he plunged millions of dollars of his own money into the project, which saw shooting in 26 locations in 18 countries across the globe.
This is one of those films that I could rave about for hours, so you will be surprised to hear that the plot of the story is relatively straightforward. The year is 1915, a stuntman named Roy (Lee Pace) has been admitted to a Los Angeles hospital after an accident on the set of a new "flicker". In another ward a young girl named Alexandria (newcomer Catinca Untaru) sits with an arm in a cast, writing a note to the hospitals chaplain apologising for deriving her enjoyment from throwing apples at him whenever he crosses the courtyard. Upon trying to deliver the note, by means of throwing out of a window, it falls into the hands of Roy in a room below. Alexandria goes to retrieve the note but is taken in by Roy's charm and is curious to find out more.
Roy and Alexandria form a friendship of sorts; Roy now begins to tell Alexandria "an epic tale of love and revenge" that takes patients and staff from the hospital and places them in exotic lands with new personalities. Roy is now the Black Bandit, the leader of a group of buccaneers out for the blood of Governor Odious who has done each of them a terrible injustice. The story loosely follows the love triangle that has left Roy heartbroken and features Alexandria's favourite nurse (Justine Waddell) Evelyn as Princess Evelyn and Sinclair (Daniel Caltagirone); the film star who stole Roy's girlfriend, as Odious.
The story is simple, yet captivating and is given much more weight through amazing visuals that were created without any computer-based interference. The fantasy characters, as you would expect from a children's story, are suitably one-dimensional and yet marvellously entertaining (point in case: Charles Darwin...yes that one... dressed like a pimp and regularly talking to Wallace, his pet monkey). Its all really rather clever when you realise that although Roy is narrating the story, we are seeing events through the eyes of Alexandria. This is especially evident and sweetly funny when Roy begins to talk about a character who is an Indian, living in his Wig-Wam with a squaw. Alexandria has never learned about the American Indians and so the character is portrayed as a bearded, turban wearing man from India.
The story starts to take a darker turn as we start to realise that Roy has a personal motive for weaving his tale. He is depressed after losing the love of his life and realises that he may never walk again and so he attempts to captivate Alexandria enough so that in return for continuing the story she will steal morphine for him from the dispensary. Alexandria has invested a lot in Roy's fantasy world, as have the audience, but it is now up to Roy to decide whether The Black Bandit, and indeed himself, are to survive.
This film is a beautiful blur between fact and fantasy as witnessed through the eyes of a child. It managed to evoke feelings in me that I thought I had lost many years ago. It was genuinely refreshing to see a film so moving and yet equally sweet, funny and visually arresting.
I cannot recommend this film highly enough.
5 Stars!!!
The Fall - Trailer
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