Something Wicked This Way Comes…
October 21, 2015
Crimson Peak (2015).
D: Guillermo del Toro. DP: Dan Lausten. W: Guillermo del Toro & Matthew Robbins. Starring: Mia Waskikowska/Jessica Chastain/Tom Hiddleston/Charle Hunnam/Jim Beaver/Burn Gorman.
Halloween is nearly here and timed to the holiday comes spook master Guillermo del Toro’s newest film Crimson Peak. His first directorial effort since 2013’s Pacific Rim, the Mexican director has been involved with other projects in many ways. His departure from Warner Brother’s The Hobbit Trilogy was discussed at length in a recent profile in The New Yorker. He brings to this new film the same visual style that was so glorious in his 2006 film Pan’s Labyrinth and won the film three Oscars (cinematography, art direction, and make-up).
Crimson Peak is visual splendor. Set in the vague time of the turn of the last century the film follows Edith Cushing (Mia Wasikowska) who as a child is visited by her mother’s ghost who warns her of Crimson Peak. Once of age Edith turns to writing, ghosts included, but is quickly enchanted by the arrival of the tall, dark and English Sir Thomas Sharpe (Tom Hiddleston). After her father’s untimely death, Edith marries Thomas and embarks to his home to live with his sister Lucille (Jessica Chastain).
Without giving much away the film’s tone of Gothic horror is as rich and red as the clay that Thomas peddles from his estate. Wasikowska’s Edith feels like Anne of Green Gables, too sharp for her time and easily seduced by puff sleeves and romance, and that is a compliment. Australian Wasikowska whose Alice in Wonderland days are soon to resurface, brings a stylish innocence that works for the heroine of a dark tale. Although not as emotionally demanding as her fine performance in 2011’s Jane Eyre she is great here, her blond tresses working in stark contrast to Chastain’s auburn ones. Originally Emma Stone was cast who would not have fit though Benedict Cumberbatch could have made a good Thomas.
The trio have good chemistry that revolves around Hiddleston’s ability to dazzle in the dark. Known for his role as Loki in the Thor and Avengers films, Hiddleston has the right balance of danger and sex. Yet his hair could have been better, seems trivial, but it’s too reminiscent of Loki. The few flaws in Crimson Peak lie with Chastain and Charlie Hunnam. Her stiff and diabolical Lucille lacks complexity and unfortunately she is never quite able to nail her English accent. Chastain’s Edith is rather too two note, up or down, hot or cold. Del Toro is said to have been inspired by Italian horror master Mario Bava. I see echoes of Black Sunday here, but Chastain is no Barbara Steele. Visually she looks the part, but it never quite takes off. Hunnam is simply too clean and earnest, his snooping is fine, but obvious.
Crimson Peak‘s greatest achievement is the Sharpe estate. Nearly sinking into the red clay of the land the house is so dilapidated the distinctions between outside and in is blurred. Snow comes through the house as bugs live and die. It’s Disney’s Haunted Mansion, but for adults. The ghosts themselves are part vision and corpse. Del Toro’s masterful hand is breathtaking and subtle. He builds worlds not creatures. To think of his what his Hobbit films would have been like is to think of the dream so intricate and beautiful you cannot remember it.
The End to a Long Gesticulating Journey
January 9, 2015
The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies (2014).
D: Peter Jackson. W: Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, Peter Jackson, Guillermo del Toro. DP: Andrew Lesnie. Starring: Martin Freeman/Ian McKellan/Richard Armitage/Orlando Bloom/Evangeline Lilly/Lee Pace/Luke Evans/John Bell/Billy Connolly and the voice talent of Benedict Cumberbatch. (Based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s book of the same name)
When I sat down in 2012 for The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey having just finished the book, I knew I was in for a long slog. Stretching final YA novels into two films is a challenge (see The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1), but turning one book into three films? Ambitious. And a little bit foolish.
The Hobbit: Battle of Five Armies literally picks up where its predecessor, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug ends. There is not any re-setting of tone or sense of place. Unfortunately, it means the first half an hour or so lacks much dramatic punch and sadly very little of Benedict Cumberbatch’s dragon Smaug. The pace does quicken, with armies a coming! But, there is so much set up to any action the film can feel long with far to many scenes explaining dragon sickness. Specifically, this film also used the slowed down or build up of an action moment far too much. Too many blades or other dangers got a lengthy dramatic delivery.
The trilogy has resoundingly relied on Martin Freeman as Bilbo and the majestic presence of Ian McKellan as Gandalf. Freeman’s earnestness, humor and subtle naivete make for an excellent Bilbo in a three films. McKellan’s memorable turn is equally as fun here. Jackson clearly recognizes his fans by adding in story lines for Legolas (Orlando Bloom), although his romantic thread never really holds true with Tauriel (Evangeline Lilly). Also, just to nit pick, but not nearly enough Elvish was spoken in this film. This also goes for a mini battle scene with Cate Blanchett, Hugo Weaving, and Christopher Lee. All for the fans.
The best bit of casting is clearly Lee Pace as Legolas’ father, Thranduil. Menacing and spiteful, Pace towers and steals all his scenes, which he did in the last film. I could ask for more of him as an excellent contrast to the peace speaking elves of the other films. A lot can be said of the muteness of the dwarf company, massive presences in the book, but I am hardly able to put names to faces in the book. However, Richard Armitage as Thorin is a testament to good acting in a sea of people and place.
Ultimately, all Hobbit films have lacked a sense of grace. Where The Lord of the Rings trilogy embraced you with its mood and sense of fantasy (in truest form of feeding your imagination), these films feel like one giant brag. Far too long and indulgent, it will be interesting to see if anyone bothers to give them another go in the coming decades. Surely we are all wondering what Guillermo del Toro’s film would have been like.
If you are interested, more on that can be found in Daniel Zalewski’s 2011 piece in The New Yorker: Show the Monster.
10 Highly Anticipated Fall Film Adaptations
July 18, 2012
1. The Bourne Legacy (inspired by Robert Lundlum’s novels). In theaters August 10. Do I need to read these?
2. Cosmopolis by Don DeLillo. In theaters August 17. Lots of buzz on this one, especially as David Cronenberg is directed. I have not read, but still have doubts about Robert Pattinson. Waiting to be impressed.
3. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky. In theaters September 14. I know this novel has fans everywhere and I somehow missed in my younger years. Emma Watson outside of her Hermoine character will surely be a treat and we’ll seen if teens show up for films outside of the big franchises. Also, noted that the novel’s writer also wrote the screenplay and directed the film.
4. Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell. In theaters October 26. Still on my bookshelf to be read!
5. Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy. In theaters November 9. My mother has just bequeathed a copy of this to me. Big hill to climb, but it might be worth it with a Tom Stoppard script and direction by Joe Wright. Cue the sweeping epic music…
6. Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2by Stephanie Meyer. In theaters November 16. More comments on this later.
7. Life of Pi by Yann Martel. In theaters November 21. Read it now. And I mean NOW.
8. The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien. In theaters December 14. ENOUGH SAID!
9. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. In theaters December 25. At this point most of American generations have read this literary milestone as part of required high school reading. This upcoming take my Baz Luhrman will not only prove to be different visually, but could push the story’s boundaries. I am giving it an older me re-read. I suggest you do the same.
10. On the Road by Jack Kerouac. Set to release this year. An American classic, but having recently read it will be interesting to see how they shape the narrative for the screen. The book didn’t move me, hopefully the movie will. I have faith in a slew of the actors, but the blight will probably be Kristen Stewart.