The Illustrious Peter Greenaway

[Johann]

Born in Wales in 1942, Mr. Peter Greenaway is an artist of such immense talent that I am hesitant to attempt a synopsis of his career. I don't know if I can get across his importance with a mere posting, but I'm gonna give it a shot.

He studied painting in the sixties, this much is certain.
Story goes he landed a position with the COI in the UK (Central Office of Information) where he worked as an editor on films about Britain and it's quirks.
He started to make short films about things that interested him: Tree, Windows, Water Wrackets, Revolution, etc.

He ploughed on with even more detailed works of art on interesting subjects which no human would consider worthy:
Dear Phone, Vertical Features Remake, A Walk Through H, among others. These short films were so self-contained and so self-important that I wonder if he set a precedent. It appears so.

His first "major" work of art was The Falls. It's a description-defying film and I cannot explain it in any way. See it.
It is the most unique film I have ever seen. It deals with single classification and linear importance. Repeated viewings reveal a clinical yet heartwarming style of filmmaking that is all but ignored by everyone in the milky way galaxy.

His foray into feature filmmaking was a bold and staggering expose named The Draughtsman's Contract. Again, all I can say is SEE IT. I cannot describe Greenaway's style without sounding like an idiot. It is so painterly, so genuine, so imaginative and important.

In order to appreciate a man like Greenaway you must park your suburban mind in a spot where you won't be needing it for a while. This man looms so large over the history of cinema (while still alive!) that I feel like buying airtime on CNN and taking the piss out of Hollywood and all of the modern world for the gridiron ignorance of one of our modern geniuses. Greenaway impresses me like no other director. Words cannot do him justice. There are "the masters" of cinema and then there are Masters. Greenaway is a Master. Like Bresson is a Master, like Ozu is a Master and like Tarkovsky is a Master.

If you can grasp that then you can grasp Greenaway, an auteur artiste, one who has a canon that I barely comprehend but know is de facto progressive artwork.

[JustaFied]

I went on a search for "Drowning by Numbers" a few years ago, but I couldn't find it, anywhere. I was disappointed, having heard that it was a unique and somewhat bizarre movie. Sounds interesting, but not exactly a flick on the shelf at the local Blockbuster.

I've actually heard of a couple of his other titles; I'll start a new search to actually see one of his movies. Thanks for the interesting post.

[Johann]

Drowning By Numbers is finer than a Fellini film but just as whimsical.
If you can comprehend it on one screening you should be teaching at Yale. It is jam packed with esoteric Art.

If you wanna see the greatest acting job Brian Dennehy ever did check out The Belly of an Architect- a tribute to the Emmanuel building in Rome. Greenaway's "minuitae" as some film comment reviewer called it is endlessly fascinating to me. The possibilities are truly endless with the Welsh painter.

[oscar jubis]

I haven't seen the shorts but I've seen eight of his feature films, all worth watching, if anything, because of the original visuals. I've enjoyed some (The Pillow Book, A Zed and Two Noughts) more than others (Baby of Macon, 8 1/2 Women). I don't consider Mr. Greenaway in the same category as Bresson, Ozu or Tarkovsky. I don't think there's enough of sufficient relevance or resonance behind the eye-catching images and bizarre conceits. It's a precious but distancing experience, because our emotions are not engaged. The unpleasant stuff in some of Greenaway's films doesn't bother me but novice beware. His films are a must for art majors, and visual thrill-seekers. But not the pantheon for P.G., says me.

[Johann]

Greenaway's films are not to be enjoyed per se.
He constantly reiterates in interviews that he wants veiwers of his work to be aware that they are watching cinema.
Ozu and Bresson made you forget you were watching a film: you were watching life. Tarkovsky is more dream-like, but I stand by my statement. Is relevance and resonance absolutely required to be in the "pantheon"?

Greenaway has something else to offer: image-based cinema.

[oscar jubis]

Whenever I refer to Greenaway in conversation, it is to recommend one or two of his films to a particular type of person who'd appreciate his art. It's a rare privilege to be among individuals who know the artist better than I do. But it feels awkward to find myself saying anything critical. It's probably true that for me the greatest art needs to have a certain contemporary relevance and emotional resonance. And these need not be absent from image-based or "art" cinema. Consider something like Tarkovsky's Mirror or more recently, Sokurov's Russian Ark.

[Johann]

It is indeed extremely extremely difficult to recommend the films of Greenaway.

Let me put it this way (for the lay man):

Do you consider yourself to be someone with a high IQ?
No? Then keep watching your Indiana Jones DVD's.
Yes? Then I invite you to a self-contained cinematic universe, one where you must accept the artistic fancies of a PAINTER.
This isn't a guy who takes anything Hollywood seriously.
Do you appreciate The Seventh Seal? Good. That's a start.
Do you appreciate Last Year at Marienbad? Even better-it was shot by Greenaway's DP, Sacha Vierny. Move on to the films of Sergei Eisenstein and watch more Alain Resnais, like Hiroshima Mon Amour. Then watch films like 'Tis a Pity She's a Whore and the Brothers Quay animated films (BTW, the Quays appear in the flesh in THE FALLS (1980).

Assimilate the feelings you get from these examples and you're ready for Peter Greenaway.

[JustaFied]

I don't know why it would be difficult to recommend the films of Greenaway, particularly to anyone who's found their way onto this web site. Whether or not he's a "master" or instead just a creator of really interesting films is a matter of debate, but what's not really questionable here is that his films are unique and thought-provoking; and that's enough to at least get me interested in seeing a few of them.

Probably the reason I couldn't find "Drowning by Numbers" is that it doesn't appear to be available for rent. Where, may I ask, have you seen all these films? I see that some are available to buy on Amazon. Do you know of any way to see them without actually buying the films?

<Greenaway's films are not to be enjoyed per se.> I don't like this statement, to be blunt. Even if a film has limited emotional resonance, even if it's mainly to be viewed as a "work of art", it can still be enjoyed. This reminds me of a time when I was in school, and I asked my teacher where she went on her vacation. Egypt, she told me. When I asked if she had fun, she said no, it wasn't fun, it was an educational experience as they visited the ancient tombs and sites. Still, that could be fun, couldn't it? Would a "fun trip" be limited only to a week at the beach?

One last thing: the film knowledge of some of the people on this board is astounding. I thought I had seen a few movies, but you are in a different league.

[Johann]

Thanks for your post, JustiFied. I'm just as impressed as you are with the members here- we know what we discuss.

As for Greenaway- I DO enjoy his films.
I only say they aren't to be enjoyed for those who are seeing them for the first time. The films are unlike anything you've seen.
There's almost no cinematic comparisons- they seem sterile, distant (as oscar pointed out) and definitely lacking in emotional gifts.

In Calgary we have a video store that rocks the casbah: Casablanca Video. They specialize in hard to find, rare videos and they even have a copy copy of The Baby of Macon. All of Greenaway's features are available on vhs but only a handful are available on DVD- Cook, Thief is an import for sure on Anchor Bay.
Drowning By Numbers shouldn't be hard to find on vhs. Where do you live, J? There must be a good video store somewhere nearby?

Also, A TV Dante, 26 Bathrooms, Death in the Siene (which is an awesome Greenaway film) and The Falls are all available on vhs.

[JustaFied]

Certainly sounds like a director you've got to be prepared for. Show it at the local multiplex and you'll probably hear lots of snickering (and then snoring).

I live in Houston. As far as I know, there is only one video store here (Cactus Music and Video) that rents and sells films of the esoteric and offbeat kind. This store is where, in the past few years, I've rented every Altman movie that's available on tape. (Unfortunately they don't have some of his mid-70's films like "California Split", "Images", and "Three Women"). But even there, I had trouble locating many Greenaway films.

But, I'll keep trying. I'll even go by Borders bookstore and see if they have any for sale. They probably at least have The Cook, His Wife, etc. Always up for a different point of view.

[oscar jubis]

A Zed and Two Noughts is available on dvd and deepdiscountdvd will send it to you for $8.99 total. Drowning by Numbers is only available on dvd in Italy (Pal format), but vhs copies can be found easily on ebay. By the way, somebody is selling a dvd of The Falls there, but he wants $28 plus s/h. There has to be a video store in a city the size of Houston that carries all his features. Also, public and university libraries often carry a wide selection of art films on home formats.

[Johann]

$8.99 is a bargain for Zed. I might just order it myself.

You won't find Belly or Prospero's Books on DVD. I have Belly on vhs by MGM (under their "Avant-Garde Cinema" label and Prospero is an Alliance Atlantis release. They will be available soon I'm sure.

Greenaway actually has a large filmography. Aside from his feature films he did projects like 4 Composers (Glass, Monk, Cage), Rosa, Darwin, The Stairs, Fear of Drowning, and a 52 second Lumiere short.

[oscar jubis]

I might end up buying the Greenaway shorts available on dvd. M is for Man, Music, Mozart is available on a compilation dvd called Not Mozart that came out recently. But the one I really want was put out by the British Film Institute: The Early Shorts of Peter Greenaway. It includes his first six. It's not easy to find.

[Johann]

I just checked Facets multi-media Video website (out of Chicago- specializing in rare vids) and they have the 2 sets of shorts for sale on DVD. A little too pricy-you might wanna shop around. Peter introduces each short.
There's also a list of Greenaway films for sale you might not have seen such as Death in the Seine ond 26 Bathrooms.
There's also a killer article on Lars von Trier: "The Dogmatic Great Dane"
www.facetsvideo.com

[JustaFied]

Well, I hit the road today to go find a Greenaway film, and I came back disappointed.

I went to two Blockbuster stores in the area. One of them has a "foreign" section, but it had about 20 movies in it, none of them by Mr. Greenaway. At the other store, the guy told me that they couldn't run a search by Director, only by film. That makes no sense, but I wasn't going to argue with him. Probably a decision made by someone higher up the Blockbuster corporate ladder.

So, I rented the VHS version of "The Seventh Seal", which I've heard you guys say is amazing (and beyond). Unfortunately, it's not the DVD version, much less the Criterion DVD version, but it'll have to suffice.

[Johann]

Awesome man, check it out and post about it in The Seventh Seal
thread (classic film).

von Sydow back from the crusades, the Dance of Death, you should love it.

[JustaFied]

Finally found a couple of Greenaway films to rent: The Pillow Book on DVD and 8 1/2 Women on VHS. Have only watched Pillow so far, here are my thoughts:

It's a visually gorgeous film. I was expecting that based on what I read here, but there were still several scenes where I was really amazed. And it's not just the cinematography alone, but also its combination with the editing the music and the way the scenes were written. The scene at the end where the publisher receives the final chapter and realizes he's going to die, was beautifully filmed. One example of many. I'm gonna watch that scene again.

Also, it wasn't nearly as desolate in the "relevance or resonance" areas as I had expected. I found it touching, this woman's regard for the tradition that her father had passed to her, and then the honor she felt in revenging the fate the publisher had bestowed on her father. And, of course, the central theme of passion, both physical and non-physical. I liked her husband, who sat around and shot arrows at targets and told her she read too much. She left him.

Basically, I was expecting a two-hour film showing a tree growing. Maybe that's what Greenaway's early films consisted of, but this was much more.

And then there's Ewan McGregor and what he brought to the film. I guess you could see why the publisher liked him...

[Johann]

8 1/2 Women is a tribute to Fellini's 8 1/2.
A father and son go to a screening after the death of wife/mother and decide to open up a brothel.

It opens with scenes in a pachinko parlour and it may be harder to "enjoy" than Pillow Book, but I loved it. Lots of unerotic male nudity-hope you don't mind.
And some scenes with dad and son are a little uncomfortable....

Let me know your opinion! The Pillow Book is based on the actual Pillow Book written by Sei Shonigon.

[JustaFied]

Sorry, I couldn't get into 8 1/2 Women. Might have helped if I had seen Fellini's 8 1/2 first? Couldn't get out of my "suburban frame of mind", I've got to work on my taxes today...

I see there's been debate concerning Greenaway on the "Art and Audience" thread. I do appreciate him as a filmmaker; I did like "Pillow Book". 8 1/2 Women didn't seem as visually appealing, maybe b/c I had a VHS copy not DVD.

I'll try again in the future when I'm in a less practical frame of mind.

[Johann]

No worries, man.

8 1/2 Women is a really tough sell, and I don't hold it against you for not getting into it.

I would say it's the most difficult Greenaway film to recommend, next to The Baby of Macon.

If you see Macon, you're eligible for a cinematic-viewing medal of Bravery!

[anduril]

Originally posted by Johann
No worries, man.

8 1/2 Women is a really tough sell, and I don't hold it against you for not getting into it.

I would say it's the most difficult Greenaway film to recommend, next to The Baby of Macon.

If you see Macon, you're eligible for a cinematic-viewing medal of Bravery!

Being eligible for a cinematic-viewing medal of Bravery myself, I have to wonder why you think the Baby of Macon is so difficult to recommend. I thought it was quite compelling in many respects. I'd certainly recommend it to anyone interested in the role of religion in cinema; of course, they do need to be aware of the gratuitous nature of Greenaway's approach.

Also, if you don't hold it against JustaFied for criticizing Greenaway, why did you hold it against me in "Art and Audience"?

[Johann]

OK I'm gonna try to be crystal clear here.

JustaFied has demonstrated an eagerness to explore Greenaway. "Not getting into it" is not critcizing. I didn't get into Fellini's Roma, but my respect for the man is still sky-high.
I practically have to arm-wrestle you when at the video store. I seem to recall a night where I was in the mood for
a Truffaut film and we ended up with Ever After and Erin Brockovich (even if I enjoyed them).

However, to your credit, you took to Kieslowski, Bergman's Persona, The Passion of Joan of Arc and Intolerance (which I honestly thought you would think of as torture).

That said, the arguments in Art and Audience stem from the contradictions: you say the films are well crafted but lacking in moral fibre, (as if moral fibre is essential to great film). Greenaway is a great alternative- hell, the GREATEST alternative if you ask me- to mainstream kow-towing and standard watching practices.
I guess you're not ready for all of the alternative films out there...

[anduril]

Originally posted by Johann
OK I'm gonna try to be crystal clear here.

JustaFied has demonstrated an eagerness to explore Greenaway. "Not getting into it" is not critcizing. I didn't get into Fellini's Roma, but my respect for the man is still sky-high.
I practically have to arm-wrestle you when at the video store. I seem to recall a night where I was in the mood for
a Truffaut film and we ended up with Ever After and Erin Brockovich (even if I enjoyed them).

Hey, I'll readily admit that sometimes when I study Greek and Hebrew for a living, I'm not in the mood to watch a movie in another language. Or, when I read all day, subtitles are not always my way of relaxing. Sometimes, I'm just in the mood to watch a fairy tale or see Julia Roberts strutting around.


Originally posted by Johann
However, to your credit, you took to Kieslowski, Bergman's Persona, The Passion of Joan of Arc and Intolerance (which I honestly thought you would think of as torture).

I don't know why you thought I'd think Intolerance is torture. Its great filmmaking and it has an obvious religious dimension, which usually sucks me in... btw, you also forgot to mention the restored edition of Greed we watched (with all those still frames) ... or how about Tarkovsky's Nostalghia? ... you also neglect to mention that I was buying Criterion DVDs well before you started... I was no cinematic neophyte when I met you... The problem, J, is you never give me any credit when it comes to film... and I have no reason why, man. I've even introduced you to some great film that you were reluctant/skeptical to watch at first: Amadeus for one. So, dear friend, it's time to start giving me some credit... eh?


Originally posted by Johann
That said, the arguments in Art and Audience stem from the contradictions: you say the films are well crafted but lacking in moral fibre, (as if moral fibre is essential to great film). Greenaway is a great alternative- hell, the GREATEST alternative if you ask me- to mainstream kow-towing and standard watching practices.

I disagree... contra Ebert and you, I think content is as important as style... what a picture says is nearly or just as important as how it says it. The greatest writer in the world can still write a terrible book while the worst can also write a masterpiece.


Originally posted by Johann
I guess you're not ready for all of the alternative films out there...

See here you go again... I just finished complementing Greenaway on Baby of Macon (and you also know that I thought Pillow Book was quite interesting)... I just think that the man indulges in too many excesses that detract from the experience and quite frankly degrade the medium.

I think you can't wrap your mind around the fact that it is possible to appreciate movies and critique them at the same time. You're a fundamentalist about movies... nobody can criticize your sacred scriptures (movies) without you raising hell about it.

[Johann]

I knew that last line was a firestarter...
Just jabbin' ya with a stick, man.

Yes, you do appreciate films of a much wider range than the average joe.

I still don't see how you can "complement" Greenaway yet say he degrades the medium. How is that possible?
You can't say "DaVinci has nice brush strokes but the painting sucks". The painting IS the brush strokes!
How would you feel if someone said "you're academic, but you haven't learned anything". It's an insult.

I like the guy but he's annoying.
I like blue but I hate aqua.
I want happiness but I prefer sadness.

You see what I'm saying?

[anduril]

Originally posted by Johann
I still don't see how you can "complement" Greenaway yet say he degrades the medium. How is that possible?
You can't say "DaVinci has nice brush strokes but the painting sucks". The painting IS the brush strokes!

Because if DaVinci applies his talent to painting the grotesque it doesn't matter how expertly he handles the brush... the content remains the problem.

Here's a pop-culture example: Christina Aguilera has one of the most beautiful singing voices I have heard from contemporary pop artists. But, she chooses to whore-it-up and uses her voice to sing songs like Genie in a Bottle. As a music critic, I can acknowledge Aguilera's gifted handling of the material; her ability to sing comfortably through an impressive vocal range; I might even admit to enjoying some of the songs she sings. But, also as a music critic, I have no qualms about saying that she could use her talents more effectively. She could stop contributing to the commercial exploitation of music and apply herself to singing music more befitting of her talents.

Now, I'm not saying Greenaway's movies are to be equated with "Genie in a Bottle". Absolutely not!! (I cringe that I've actually managed to put the thought into a sentence.) Obviously, Greenaway does not go for pop-culture and canned formulas rather he swings the pendulum to the far opposite end and goes for the extremely inaccessible, bizarre, and grotesque. The crime, however, in a certain respect, is the same or similar.

In any case, I do think you can understand the gist of the distinction I am trying to draw between the "how" and the "what." Greenaway excels at the "how" but leaves something to be desired in the "what".

[Johann]

I understand your position now. But if I may say, the "content" in Greenaway films is not as extreme as you say. The more you see the films the more you'll realize he's not out to puposefully shock. There is a method to his madness.

I won't attack you for your Aguilera comments-I'll leave that to the wolves who should be coming soon.....:):):)

[anduril]

Originally posted by Johann
I understand your position now.

I should also take the illustration a step further because sometimes the "how" can still be a problem too. For instance, Aguilera, like many pop divas, has this annoying propensity to over-sing. She takes a note and starts doing scales with it in the middle of the song. Now, she may do it very skillfully but that doesn't mean its meaningful to the song or appropriate.

Godard's jump cuts in Hail Mary are somewhat like that; sure, they are an example of Godard's skill in filmmaking but, in my final analysis, they are an abuse of that talent. It is often possible for a virtuso to get so caught up in their own skill that they forget that sometimes simple is better.


Originally posted by Johann
But if I may say, the "content" in Greenaway films is not as extreme as you say. The more you see the films the more you'll realize he's not out to puposefully shock. There is a method to his madness.

I don't think Greenaway is out to shock so much; I just think that way he chooses to explore certain subject matter is, in some cases, depraved and, or at least, unnecessary. He'd be a much more effective filmmaker, in my opinion, if he reeled himself in.


Originally posted by Johann
I won't attack you for your Aguilera comments-I'll leave that to the wolves who should be coming soon.....:):):)

Ahhh, it's just an illustration... hopefully nobody takes it seriously.

[JustaFied]

Trying to catch up here while simultaneously watching the Oscars...say what you will about "Lost in Translation", Sophia Coppola is a classy woman.

OK, I did say that I couldn't get into "8 1/2 Women", but that had just as much to do with my mood at the time as with the qualities of the film itself. I will give it another shot in the future when I'm not in such a pragmatic frame of mind.

I was very impressed with "The Pillow Book", just as much with its content as with its style. It's a wonderful story about passion: the passion of tradition, the passion of the pen, and the passion of the flesh. Greenaway blended those together beautifully, and the style of the film was just as impressive. It's not for every taste, it's probably not even for mainstream tastes; the abundant male nudity and the apparent de-skinning of Ewan McGregor probably would cause significant discomfort for many people. But, I recognize that Greenaway films are not to be taken literally. They're parables, and really odd ones at that.

"8 1/2 Women" didn't seem to hold together like "The Pillow Book" did, but I'm willing to give it another chance. It seemed like the actors playing the father and son weren't even taking it seriously, but maybe that was part of Greenaway's idea for the film.

Woo-hoo! Lord of the Rings wins...

[Johann]

8 1/2 Women was described by Bob Graham of the San Francisco Chronicle as "a surreal comedy about sex that comes as close to charming as Greenaway ever gets".
I agree 100%.

Ebert gave it three stars, saying " it's not possible to "like" this film, although one admires it, and is intrigued".


It also has Greenaway himself in it, very briefly, near the beginning in the pachinko parlour. When you see the women on the machines you can see Peter walk past in the background.

[JustaFied]

Originally posted by Johann
8 1/2 Women was described by Bob Graham of the San Francisco Chronicle as "a surreal comedy about sex that comes as close to charming as Greenaway ever gets".



The scene I most remember is where the father and son are both standing naked in front of a large mirror. The son then tries to seduce his own father, with the explanation that incest of the Oedipal kind is really just between a son and his mother.

Charming, yes?

Rather, I prefer the scene where they're at the mother's funeral and the father realizes he's wearing the wrong colored clothes, so he strips down to nothing and changes clothes with one of the other men there.

Just giving you a hard time, here. It definately can be described as "surreal", and I will most certainly watch it again in an attempt to figure out just what Greenaway's trying to do with the film.

[Johann]

Greenaway has lofty goals and ambitions with his cinema.

The trouble is unless you read up on the guy and see the films repeatedly you'll never know it. Another problem is that there aren't that many film fans out there willing to follow him on his painterly mission.

I love the man.
I love his mind, his vision, his detail. Yes, it's minuitae. It's finite. It's complex. But mama-mia, if you can't stand to see another hobbit or terminator, you've found THE MAN.

Every true film fan eventually gets bored with the body of crap Hollywood produces and seeks out a Godard or a Brakhage. Discovering Greenaway was one of the greatest things that ever happened to me. The dude is endlessly fascinating to me.

Here's a motivator for you, Justified (you too, Ken!): if you see and post reviews of 3 Greenaway features (love 'em or hate 'em) on this thread, I'll buy you the Greenaway DVD of your choice. No shit- 3 reviews and you've got yourself a brand-new DVD, compliments of me.

Up for that?

[JustaFied]

Hey, you've got yourself a deal, Johann. I've already seen two of them (well, actually 1 1/2), so I'm halfway there.

I'm on your side here. I'm all for filmmakers taking chances and breaking the mold. I like to pretend that most of that Hollywood crap doesn't even exist; right now, looking at the movies showing at the local multiplex, I couldn't tell you the first thing about half of them.

Now, the hardest problem is going to be finding more Greenaway films to rent. I think I got the only two in stock at the local Blockbuster. Maybe need to going searching on the Net.

Like I've said several times on this thread, I was very impressed with "The Pillow Book". It's a beautiful film, absolutely stunning in its mood and its images. At some point here, I'll try to translate that into an actual review of the film.

What are your favorite Greenaway films? Is "The Pillow Book" near the top of your list? Which ones should I be going for next?

[Johann]

Good stuff, man.

My favorite Greenaway is The Baby of Macon. I'm betting you won't find it and if you do, it'll be a copy, not an original VHS or DVD. (Casablanca in Calgary and Videomatica in Vancouver only have poor quality copies)
It's absolutely riveting to me. I posted a bit on it on the imdb under shierfilm. If you notice, not too many people understand it.

My next fave is Drowning By Numbers. The Nyman soundtrack is incredible. I listen to the soundtrack a lot and the film is very Felliniesque. Third would be The Pillow Book. Stunningly gorgeous.

Point-form recommendations:

The Draughtsman's Contract- think Barry Lyndon with even more concentrated images- I shit you not, this film will test your patience like no other!

A Zed and Two Noughts- You might wanna rent this one. It's easy to understand: 2 twin brothers study the effects of entropy- ending with themselves as test subjects! Greenaway used the Brothers Quay as inspiration. It's still all Greenaway, though...

The Belly of an Architect- Dennehy as a frustrated architect who draws inspiration from the great architect Boulee. Greenaway shoots Rome so beautifully you'll wanna move there.

Death in the Seine- Greenaway shows bodies being pulled from the famous river (men, women, children) who were affected by the plague and civil upheaval- he shows (and tells) of how they died, how they were treated upon removal from the river. It's only an hour-long show, and it's one of his best. (Lots of freaky nudity as well- you've been warned).

The Cook, The Thief, His Wife and Her Lover- His most watchable, accessible film. Michael Gambon is the Thief, a restaurant owner who treats his wife (Helen Mirren) and staff like utter garbage. His wife spies "Her Lover" eating at the restaurant and they have bizarre rendezvous until The Thief catches wind of the affair. You'll never forget the ending. Also stars Tim Roth.

Prospero's Books is John Gielgud's last feature film role and he bows out better than Olivier did. This film is "The Tempest" severely reworked- Gielgud voices ALL of the parts and is the pure embodiment of Shakespeare here. He said he found working with Greenaway to be a priviledge, and that he was never more proud of a role. Try to remember when watching it that it takes place on a ship AND and island- the shift is very subtle and you might miss it completely. The "BOOKS" are life for Prospero. Miranda is his muse and this film uses juxtaposition of video media to dazzling effect. Hopefully you can keep up.

[Johann]

Here it is: the official website for Greenaway's epic trilogy.

Feast on the multi-media!!!

www.tulselupernetwork.com

[Johann]

Just for information, Greenaway has cast some oddballs in his new trilogy:

Kathy Bates
William Hurt
Molly Ringwald
Don Johnson (WTF...)
Sting

[Johann]

Here's the trailer for The Moab Story, the first installment of The Tulse Luper Suitcases trilogy. (Release date unknown, but it is on DVD through www.exploitedcinema.com)

http://www.soundpalette.nl/v3/theweb/projects/tls/trailer.htm

[Johann]

Man, this new book I picked up is an excellent read.

It's by Alexander Walker, and he talks about the British film scene in great length, putting top British directors in a 16-year perspective.

Here's his views on Greenaway:

"Peter Greenaway had already followed the unexpected success of his feature debut The Draughtsman's Contract with A Zed and Two Noughts; in The Belly of an Architect he had drawn even closer to the mental geography and arcane hideouts of Continental Europe- this distancing himself with deliberateness from Anglo-Saxon tolerance and understanding.

That he was travelling alone obviously did not worry him in the slightest: he probably found himself more at home, in his own sensibility, when not having to deal with his countrymen's aesthetic blindness and parochial deafness.

Set in Rome, the new film recorded with precise prognosis the steps to calamity and then extinction of an eminent architect, whose belly is the first image in the film, mimicing the rotundity of St. Peter's, a fleshy landmark amid the religious fantasies of Roman Catholicism- and, in Greenaway's diagnosis, just as infected. With what, though it was hard to say: perhaps the view of life as a self-fufilling conspiracy that claims body & soul eventually.


here Walker gets pure:

In The Draughtsman's Contract, his hero painted himself into a corner where his murderers were waiting, alarmed by the clues to their guilt that his sketches disclosed; in The Belly of an Architect, his hero is also illuminated by a foredoomed mortality as his days of grace expire and he loses his health (to a malignant tumor), his wife (to a philandering colleague), his self-respect (to the city's dolce vita), his work (to a beaurocratic cabal) and his life (to all the aforementioned inflictions).

Once the autopsy was over, The Belly of an Archtect was seen- by some- to have the macabre beauty of a tomb with a view. Greenaway's imagery deployed architecture in a Kubrickian fashion, relishing symmetry that shed beauty but also engendered apprehension; while his photographer, Sacha Vierny, deployed his own art in such sympathy with the masters' eye that it was hard not to think of him and Greenaway in terms of the twin couple in A Zed and Two Noughts.

Mortality was close to his heart (as well as belly): he had once made a 4-minute film entirely about 37 people who had fallen out of upper-story windows. His films had become more and more directly allusive, teeming with details and metaphors taken from painters that he combined with this Jacobean fascination with death, with whole heaps of it, dispatched with a swagger and chronicled with an actuary's pendantry.

Greenaway operates in relatively relaxed financial parameters, and can afford himself the luxury of critical hostility.
(At least for the generation to whom he still appears subversive).

[Johann]

A Zed and Two Noughts


I saw this a couple days ago at the Bytowne. Sheer brilliance.

The first thing that struck me was the absolutely perfect compositions and framings of each scene/shot.
Sacha Vierny wasn't no ace cinematographer. He was some kind of otherworldly genius. I love his work. And coupled with Greenaway, this was some kind of collaboration.

One thing I noticed that I hadn't when at home was the Stourley Kracklite obit. On a big screen your eyes can wander a little better, and I noticed the reference (pre-dated?) to The Belly of an Architect.

Neon. Snails. Time-lapse photography on various animals and creatures and apples in stages of decay/entropy. A pulse-pounding Michael Nyman score. Is a zebra a white animal with black stripes or a black animal with white stripes?
An amputated leg.
Two identical twin brothers (Oliver and Oswald Deuce- the O's of "ZOO") screw the one-legged-soon-to-be-no-legged Alba Bewick, who gets pregnant, and she feels that they are "both" the father.
Still with me?
Bwah ha ha.

Um, there's nudity, there's a lot of clinical claptrap, several strange scenes that just seem to have been filmed in some other dimension...All in all, a glorious experience on the big screen.
(For me anyway).
There was a young couple sitting behind me and I could feel the incomprehension emanating from their souls. And when the girl laughed at the full frontal nudity I was wondering how they came to buy their ticket. It was a fairly empty theatre and I think I know why. Greenaway is a bit much for some people.

Hey, at least the man admits he's an eccentric British filmmaker..

[oscar jubis]

I love how the film manages to bring together some very incongruent story elements. But it's the image-making that makes it a must-see. Like most of Greenway's stuff, this loses some appeal when viewed at home. Was the print in good condition? Tell us more about the programming at the Bytowne. Thanks for the evocative comments.

[Johann]

The Bytowne is the only real art house theatre in Ottawa and every ticket is only six bucks.

Today and tomorrow has There Will Be Blood, which is now on DVD and I still haven't seen.

They play some classics (next week: Godard's Contempt (Les Mepris) and they recently showed Antonioni's The Passenger) and they play older recent "important" films like Black Book or The Wind That Shakes The Barley.

They jam the schedule with a lot of great films every month.
It's a shame I can't get there more often.
But I got a lot of cinema to see yet this year.

The Greenaway was a brand-new print and it was indeed a sumptuous feast for the senses. I think the dialog annoyed a lot of peeps in the audience. They seemed to be mildly shocked into watching it till the end, because I didn't see any walkouts.
I missed The Draughtsmans Contract, which played last week. Couldn't be helped. I know, I'm sad too.
:)

[oscar jubis]

Nice programming. I found the website and read about the history of the theater. And only 6 bucks with a $C10 yearly membership. By the way, I never imagined a few years ago that I would have to consider cost of transport when deciding to go to the movies. I no longer go to one of the 3 stand-alone art cinemas in the area, the one farthest from me, the Cinema Paradiso just south of downtown Fort Lauderdale. It costs me about $9 to drive there and back. And the ticket is $8. On weekdays I need to add $3 for parking. In a way it's a blessing that the Fort Lauderdale Film Festival sucks.

[Johann]

Yeah the travelling can be a bitch.
Luckily I only live 20 minutes from the Bytowne (on foot).

It can be expensive to go to the movies, and I understand why people "wait for the DVD", but some films just have to be seen on the big screen. Have to, chachi.


I just watched Excalibur and John Milius' Conan the Barbarian again. Awesome flicks. Milius's movie has some brutal stuff going on, with a strong Kurosawa flavor..

Excalibur is amazing. An amazing creation from John Boorman. Love it.
Someone on the imdb said it's better than Ridley Scott's best ventures into fantasy and I agree. I think Sir Ridley studied what Boorman achieved here to make his films "Gladiator" and "Kingdom of Heaven". No doubt, after seeing the masks and costumes again in the tale of that Sword of Power & King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. Beautiful magical work from a great filmmaker.

I re-read Kent Jones review/article of There Will Be Blood (Triumph of the Will / Anderson hits the Mother Lode) and I can't wait to see it. Like he said, Oil and Religion is a lip-smacking thing to so many people right now...

[oscar jubis]

I don't mind the traveling. I just have to think twice before spending $20 or more to watch a film. I never had to think twice about going to a faraway theater to watch a film. With gas approaching $4 a gallon, it's a different story.

I must have seen Excalibur when it came out in 1981, but I am not sure. I was in college at the time. I was already a fan of Boorman because of Deliverance and Zardoz. At Cannes, it won an award that no longer exists: "Best artistic contribution". Alex Thomson, the cinematographer, was nominated by the Academy. Like There Will Be Blood, a film that must be seen in a theater hence my reluctance to rent the dvd. I'll wait for a Boorman retro or the time when I own a bigger set. Good of you to bring it up.

[Johann]

I have been looking for Peter Greenaway's TULSE LUPER SUITCASES trilogy for years.
I have located the first part on a Pal Region 2 (import) DVD and I'm in the process of having it transferred to a DVD I can play at home.
The other two parts are not available at all it seems. Australia released a set of all three films in 2008, and it is almost impossible to find.

It annoys me that Greenaway's films are not easier to acquire. The Baby of Macon has finally made it to Blu-Ray, and I will be buying it.
It's my favorite Greenaway film, and to see it on Blu-Ray should be Divine.
The man is a genius Artist. He's second to Kubrick to me in terms of distinct cinematic style.