The finest poetic surrealism since Jean Cocteau
A unique and deeply moving film by Philip Ridley. The dreamlike atmosphere never becomes disconnected from reality, which adds to the impact. Humorously oddball scenes suddenly become serious and human, while moments of quiet introspection are often interrupted by a jolt of unexpected hilarity. The moments of beauty and poignance go well beyond anything David Lynch has accomplished -- though Lynch fans would certainly enjoy this movie.
The excellent musical score sounds like a cross between Ralph Vaughan Williams (or Gerald Finzi) and Philip Glass on an exceptionally good day. There are several well-integrated references to moody icons: Andrew Wyeth's paintings, the stuffed birds of "Psycho" -- and in the breathtaking final sequence, the sliver of a cloud slicing across the moon (here, the setting sun) as it does at the start of "Un Chien Andalou," the root of the surrealist film tree.
This is absolutely *not* a movie for everyone. Those who have no...
Not for your average movie-watcher
Well, this one has been on my favorite movie list for quite some time. I haven't been able to view it for several years now but I recommend it to those who enjoy the darker (or deeper) side of film-making. Digging into the memory banks, I vividly remember the spectacular cinematography and powerful use of colors throughout the entire movie. Even though the pace is slow, its a perfect mix of creative thought and human expression, with a potential twist of insanity and madness. While working in a movie store, I had the pleasure of finding a select few who enjoyed this film as much as I did. Cohen bro's and Lynch fans should be well satisfied... Hollywood fans, I suggest something else. This film will hit all the right nerves for those who have "danced around the campfire" but those who prefer to live along a straight line... just stay away, you may end up being one of the dissatisfied reviewers making no sense. I agree completely with the already stated theme...
American Gothic
This a highly original, creepily surreal film dealing with the loss of innocence, the depths of irrational childhood fears, and the dark underbelly of middle America. If this description makes it sound like a David Lynch film, you're not far off the mark. Ridley's film shares with Lynch's work the artful, compositionally balanced cinematography, the disquieting psychosexual undertones, and, yes, even the wooden characters. The one-dimensional archetypes that populate this film have been criticized by many reviewers, but, as in Lynch's films, the "flatness" of the acting/dialogue serves an important purpose: the characters are mere canvases for the depiction of aspects of the work as a whole. The overall mood of the film is paramount, and the various libidinal energy flows underlying it are best served by characters who act as conduits for paticular eruptions of perversity and other compositions of incident which manifest in discreet situation rather than autonomous personality. The...
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