Tarsem's THE FALL

[Johann]

I saw this trailer today and was amazed at the visual imagery and cinematic greatness that this film promises.

Tarsem Singh directed The Cell, a visual feast with astounding production design. This one looks to have just as much if not more artistic integrity.

http://www.thefallthemovie.com

[oscar jubis]

The Cell was one of Ebert's Top 10 of 2000 but got a lot of bad reviews too. Basic complaint is "style as substance". I have no opinion as I didn't see it. I wish I had seen it when it was in theaters because that's where the style can be most appreciated. So I'm watching The Fall on the big screen when it comes out next month. Lack of recognizable stars could mean a limited release though.

[Johann]

I'm pretty stoked about this one.

Some of those images and colors...WOW.
Ebert's seen this one apparently, the trailer has one word from him: Magnificent

[Johann]

I bought a vhs copy of The Cell today.
(I've had THE FALL on my mind ever since I saw the trailer)

I'll check it out and post later.
The reviews I've read on the imdb are interesting..

[oscar jubis]

Bring it on, J!

[Johann]

THE CELL


This was one of the best films I've ever seen.
A truly bizarre and suspenseful piece of art.

It's just as terrifying as the original Texsas Chainsaw Massacre or The Shining. No joke.
There were some moments in this movie that really gave me the willies- and very very few movies do that to me. Plus it's 8 years old, so it was made with timeless precision by a man who knows exactly what he's doing and where he's going: Tarsem Singh.
My anticipation for The Fall is pretty substantial now.

The story involves a serial killer named Carl (an incredibly scary Vincent D'Onofrio) who traps his victims in a "cell".
Carl has got hooks all over his back, so he can hang himself reverse prone from his chain hoist, like a true sado/maso.
He makes "dolls", uses lots of bleach on the bodies, and according to FBI guy Vince Vaughn, he wants to be caught- he leaves the bodies in too-obvious places.

Enter J-Lo, a "special" woman who can possibly help find a final victim who's not dead yet who is trapped in Carl's cell.
After an awesome SWAT team sequence that was edited brilliantly, Carl is caught, but not quite "alive".
The plan is to *literally* hook up J-Lo and Carl to a mind-melding program (that I can't really explain) so she can go into his mind and make things right.
The film begins with a sequence from this "phantom zone of the mind" to demonstrate how J-Lo. is the only one who can do this sort of "work".

Still with me? This film is wild, man.

It's the dreamlike/nightmarish fantasy that Tarsem has wrought in these "mind sequences" that make this film astonishing.
The first real foray into Carl's universe that J-Lo takes is some of the greatest cinema I've ever seen. I said to myself: "This is better and cooler than the fucking Matrix!" See the images and ideas that Tarsem explores- be mesmerized. A horse cut into throbbing sections, a black dog shaking it's blood-soaked coat in slo-mo next to a blood-filled tub, vast staircases, a "room with a view", a female bodybuilder with huge breasts slamming J-Lo against a wall,
echoey voices, dreamlike imagery- just profoundly awesome visual stuff. I am a fan for life of Tarsem's.

This film is definitely NOT for everybody.
There's some child abuse scenes that I wanted to shut off, there's very very disturbing ideas and themes going on here, and I can see many people not understanding what's going on or why. It's an extremely intelligent film. I don't know why I haven't seen it until now. I'd definitely heard about it. Oh well, I've seen it now, and I'm tellin ya buster- this is cinematic greatness.
I got feelings from this movie that I only get once every ten years or so...like seeing a Kubrick for the first time. I'm not shittin' ya:
This film is the BOMB.
Visually awesome, acted beautifully (note perfect performances from Lopez and Vaughn and D'Onofrio is legendary here).

I had some "sweet leaf" before I saw it and I must say it amplified the "Alice in Horrorland" dream sequences. That is some sublime filmmaking. The costumes, the operatic extremely evocative set pieces, just sheer greatness. Loved it.
A wicked movie-watching experience.
But definitely NOT for everyone.
It could be very hard for some people to enjoy this movie.
It's disturbing. I haven't stopped thinking about it.
That's when I know I've seen something great- when I can't shut my mind off about it.