Quentin Tarantino’s eighth film (not just setting the historical context, it actually announces it at the beginning of the film) continues his love for the Western. Set against the backdrop of the American Civil War, in a similar way to The Good, The Bad and the Ugly; but rather than depicting the dynamic between three main characters, The Hateful Eight tries it with, well, eight. Not as successfully IMO.
A further link with Sergio Leone’s masterpiece is the Ennio Morricone score, which incidentally also links it with The Thing (1982). That’s not all; let’s face it OB’s character is essentially MacReady (Kurt Russell’s character in The Thing) complete with corks hanging from his hat and snow glare sunglasses. Morricone score is generally excellent, but occasionally strays into odd Hammer Horror territory, particularly in the very first shot.
Now, I know there are all sorts of Westerns, but if someone starts talking about this genre, The Good, The Bad and The Ugly is what I automatically think of. Few other westerns have the same dynamism of a Sergio Leone western. They are full of action, have amazing characters and are beautifully shot. Having said that, I'm really looking forward to Django Unchained in 2013.
Having wowed the world with his dynamic, violent style in Fistful of Dollars and For a Few Dollars More, TGTBATU is the icing on the Sergio Leone cake. It's a film that is in no hurry. The first half an hour are spent slowly introducing the characters: Tuco (The Ugly) is evidently often a wanted man, but is perfectly capable of looking after himself. Angel Eyes (The Bad) is a real mercenary and will stop at nothing to get his hands on as much cash as possible. Finally there's Blondie (The Good), still quite the mercenary, but with more scruples than Angel Eyes. It's typical of Leone that even the "hero" (The Good) is a morally ambiguous character.
After these introductions we get into the story proper, these nefarious characters are trying to track down a cash box buried in a graveyard. Of course it's not as simple as that, they get there via various altercations and encounters with the Unionist and Confederate armies, as well as each other. However, when the graveyard is reached, the climax to the movie is 25 of the best minutes ever committed to film. Leone's style is most evident here as the camera slowly gets closer to the protagonists using static shots of faces, eyes, hands and guns. I have talked more about this in my Sunday Scene; quite simply, it's superb.
Behind all this wonderful direction and editing is an amazing score from Ennio Morricone. Perhaps it is the theme music from the film that is most famous (perhaps even the most famous music from a Western), but The Ecstasy of Gold and "The Trio" showdown music are truly magnificent.
The three stars are quite brilliant. Lee Van Cleef is the perfect embodiment of The Bad; the piercing blue eyes, the mousey smile, all played with such gleeful recklessness. I know that Clint's character is meant to be the main hero, and Blondie is the epitome of cool, but it is Eli Wallach's portrayal of Tuco that is the highlight of the film. He has the best lines: "If you're gonna shoot, shoot! Don't talk!", and the scene in which he "buys" a gun in a shop is pure genius. Tuco is very much an adolescent character trying to survive in a man's world, and as such always seems to make it through by the seat of his pants. Eli Wallach always manages to make his beady eyes full of wonder at the possibilities available to him, but at the same time terrified by what might happen to him. This is no better demonstrated than in the truel at the end of the film: his beady eyes searching, his mouth twitching as he tries to second guess his opponents, and his gun on a piece of string! He could win so much, but he could lose everything. Superb.
I’ve only really scratched the surface of what makes this a fabulous film, and I know I haven't done credit to how excellent TGTBATU really is. Cast, action, music, style, composition of shots, script (have I forgotten anything?) all completely excellent, and one of my all time favourite films.
I was lucky enough that our local Picture House cinema The Belmont were showing John Carpenter's classic The Thing last night. An absolutely fabulous film, that hits all the right notes of horror and tension. Anyway, I've reviewed it before so here's a picture of Kurt Russell looking cool, and a section of Ennio Morricone's wonderfully atmospheric score for you to listen to.
Set in post-WW2 Sicily, Cinema Paradiso is the story of Salvatore and his love of cinema. As a young boy (Salvatore Cascio) Salvatore (known as Toto) is constantly sneaking away from his mother to get into the local cinema (Cinema Paradiso) and pester the projectionist Alfredo (Philippe Noiret). When one day the celluloid in the projector catches fire and the projector explodes in Alfredo’s face blinding him, Toto saves his life by pulling him from the burning cinema. When the cinema is rebuilt Toto becomes the new projectionist.
Toto grows up (Marco Leonardi), remains as projectionist until he moves away for military service. He remains close friends with Alfredo, but on his return Alfredo tells Salvatore to leave town, make something big of himself and never look back. Salvatore eventually leaves for Rome and becomes a director (I think) and only returns as an adult (Jacques Perrin) for Alfredo’s funeral. Upon his return he finds that his beloved cinema hasn’t been used in years and is about to be demolished to become a carpark!
A very funny, moving and beautifully made film, Cinema Paradiso was made even more poignant by the fact we were watching at our local independent Picture House cinema that is in danger of being closed by our local joke of a city council!
The young Toto (Salvatore Cascio) is absolutely fabulous. He is cheeky, loveable and a great actor for one so young. I was quite disappointed when suddenly he grew up and we were confronted with a different actor! The developing relationship between Toto and Alfredo is done really well. It could have been rather awkward trying to portray a friendship between a 7-year-old (?) and a middle-aged guy; it might just not have worked if the dynamic between to two actors wasn’t right, at worst it could have come across as being creepy. However, it’s just perfect. Initially Toto is just being cheeky, and pestering Alfredo; but this gives way to genuine friendship as demonstrated when Alfredo surprises Toto by turning up at the cinema to visit after he has been blinded. There are many friendships in films that really don’t work involving actors far older than 7!
The story is told in retrospect and this works really well. The film starts with adult Toto hearing of Alfredo’s death; he then remembers how they became friends, and so the story is all told through his eyes. The film occasionally returns to the adult Toto along the way, until at the end he returns to Sicily for the funeral. I think perhaps if it was simply a linear story it may have been slightly rambling, but because of the events being in the past it makes it clear where the story is going; though there are still a couple of surprises at the end.
As well as the main story there are many sub-plots running through the film:
- The guy that always falls asleep and snores (people waking him up in increasingly amusing ways).
- The upper class twit on the balcony who always spits down on people (who eventually get pelted with food).
- The drunk homeless guy in the main square declaring “This is my square!”
- The priest who rings his bell whenever there is kissing/nudity on screen, so that Alfredo must cut and splice the film without it. This is really brought home at the end of the film. Toto is told that Alfredo has left him a gift, which turns out to be a roll of film. He waits until he is back in Rome before playing it in his cinema; to discover that it is all of the “romance” scenes that Alfredo had to cut from many and various films over the years!
A great film that I thoroughly enjoyed. Funny, moving, and very charming thanks to the great relationship between Toto and Alfredo. Sweet and a bit quirky, well worth seeing if you haven’t already.
