The third April 2012 film review begins with a film I considered going to see in theatre, the Kenneth Branagh directed Thor and a tremendous CGI epic it is with a convincing cast and an easily digestible story of a Cain and an Able although in this instance the one of the brothers learns only when an adult that he was adopted during conquest. The film was converted to 3D post production which means one gets the perspective without being bombarded with gimmicky stuff coming at you all the time.
The story is based on a Marvel comic character which in turn is based on ancient Norse myths of the God Odin and one of his sons Thor. For the purpose of the film Odin is not a God but king of an advanced development planet with the ability to travel between the 8 other planetary systems with life forms through a portal which has a 24 hour guardian to ensure that it use is only available to those authorised by the King.
Odin is a war lord type of being who is also wise and cultured and able to perform acts of magic. The story begins 1000 years ago when the Frost giant of the planet Jotunheim comes to earth in a bid to conquer the known worlds. This race the ability turns people as well as matter to ice threatening new ice age. The earth was saved through the arrival of Odin and forces who then went to the homeworld and defeated them returning with the source of the power and also the son of the defeated leader. He then concentrated on establishing and maintaining peace. His first born Thor is a headstrong young man, self confident ambitious and too full of himself who is to be named by his father as his official successor. His brother is less physical, artful and a schemer who skilled in magic so he can create holographic replicas of himself and secret mobility and most significantly is resentful of the position of his brother. In order to disrupt the great ceremony is gets some of enemies of Kingdom onto the planet with a view to take back the instrument of power removed the centuries before. His main purpose is to disrupt the ceremony and by dealing with the intruders show his father he is just as worthy of being King.
He then eggs on his brother and the close friends to undertake a raid on the enemy in retaliation for their but despite great valour it is Odin who has to come to rescue. He decides that Thor is not ready for the position as official heir and strips him of his power. He banishes his son sending him to earth with only human powers but he also send the hammer, a kind of Arthurian Sword but with great powers.
Dazed from his landing and situation he is hit by a vehicle driven by a research team led by Natalie Portman as an astrophysicist and take him to hospital where he breaks out although quickly finds he does not have his former strength. The authorities called S.H,I.E,L,D raid Portman’s centre and remove all her equipment and records giving her a cheque to cover the loss and start again.
There is the news of the arrival of the hammer the Mjolnir which is embedded and the local rednecks try to dislodge including using a tow truck. The authorities arrive called SHIELD and eventually Thor makes his way to the now heavily protected site but manages to gain access but is unable to dislodge the hammer. He is taken into custody and treated as a trained mercenary. He is released through the help of Portman’s chief assistant/adviser.
Meanwhile there have been developments back on Asgard. Odin reveals that Loki is not his natural son but that of the leader of the Jotunheim and he falls into a form of coma Odinsleep watched over by his wife. Loki assumes the role of the King and pretends to Thor’s followers that the King’s wife has confirmed that the banishment should remain. He orders the travel Gatekeeper to keep the portal closed and he then visits the enemy to do a deal to allow a select brought enter Asgard retrieve their instrument of power and kill Odin. He visits earth and tells Thor has his father is dead, he has been confirmed king and the banishment confirmed.
Not prepared to accept this situation Thor‘s friends come to earth rather than submit to the new regime with the Gatekeeper agreeing to help them. For his actions he is frozen and Loki to earth a powerful robot to destroy his adversaries. Meanwhile Thor has come to terms with his limitations and the rashness and boorishness of his behaviour. He sacrifices himself, apologising to his father for his failures, in order that the blood shedding on earth with stop. This has the consequence of rousing Thor from his condition and releasing the hammer to Thor as he appears to die. This has the effect of enabling him to destroy the robotic creature,
He has established an emotional relationship with Portman. He promises to return for her after he has sorted out the situation in the homeland. He is able to help the Gatekeeper free himself to open the gate. Meanwhile Loki has allowed into the kingdom Laurel and his assistants but kills the man before he kills his father. He hopes by this act to impress Odin and his Odin’s wife. He also sets about using the available powers to destroy the Jotenheim and refuses the appeal of Thor to stop. The two men fight and in order to stop the destruction of enemy Thor has to break the bridge to the portal thus also preventing his immediate return to earth and Portman. It is necessary for Odin to once more rescue his sons but Loki refuses to accept the situation and appears to end his life by refusing to accept the hand preventing him falling into endless space.
Thor is returned as the heir apparent but he is sorrowful with the loss of his brother and his inability to return for Portman. Before department he had managed to get the note book records taken by the SHIELD and he then persuaded the earth defenders to return all her equipment and allow her to continue her work. There is a long period of credits before the film ends but waiting until completion is rewarded by what appears to be a trailer for a second part. This shows Portman’s assistant being invited to work at the SHIELD research centre where it appears they are now close to creating a portal to Asgard and the rest of the galaxy. The sequel is scheduled for release in 2012 although Branagh will not direct. This will be undertaken by the Director Game of Thrones and the Boardwalk Empire.
I was impressed with the visual creativity of the Asgard capital city. The story was always engaging and central with the CGI effect supplemental rather than overwhelming and the use of post Production 3D effect. The quality of the acting performance and the script were also important. In addition to Natalie Portman Chris Hemsworth played Thor and Tom Hiddleston creditable as Loki. Sir Anthony Hopkins is Odin and Colm Feore Laufey.
I would have seen Holy Smoke in theatre had I realised it was showing! Channel Four Films has recently devoted a short season to the films of Kate Winslet, the remarkable Australian actress with ix Oscar nominations and about whom I have devoted several previous writings for work, especially in Heavenly Creatures, Sense and Sensibility, Jude, Hamlet, Titanic, Enigma, Iris, The Life of David Gale, Sunshine of the Eternal Mind, Little Children, The Reader, Revolutionary Road and Mildred Pierce, Then there is my favourite- Hideously Kinky and the two films which I will concentrate in this piece of writing: Holy Smoke and Quills
There are four issues covered in these two films, the power of sex to create and destroy life, the power which some individuals can exercise over others, the true nature of the Master/slave/subject relationship and Sado Masochism.
In Holy Smoke a young Australian woman (Winslet) from the suburbs journeys to India with a friend and becomes influenced by a Guru to the extent she decides not to return home. He mother is upset and assembles her family, putting up the cash to hire an exit counsellor to bring her home and undo the assumed brainwashing although in this instance the girl has experienced a sudden revelation about herself and is attempting to gain further insights by undertaking good works.
The development of specialist therapists to rescue those who have become members of cults gained momentum in the USA and elsewhere arising from a number of internationally known incidents from the Charles Manson murders to the mass suicides. Individuals have been kidnapped by their families, parents, husbands, legal guardians and then put through an intense process which attempts to undo their attachment. I will leave for the moment the morality of doing this in relation to adults of sound mind and progress the story.
The mother decides to hire an established and highly regarded practitioner, (Harvey Keitel) after she visits and persuades her daughter to return because her father is terminally ill. He is not does nor cares about what his daughter wants to do with her life but agrees as a cover for his infidelity with his secretary. Once home Kate realises she been brought back through a ruse but agrees to spend three days 24/7 with Keitel in an isolated cabin in the desert outback.
As in any situation involving a therapist (master role) and client (subject) the need for emotional detachment on the part of the therapist is fundamental especially if there is sexual attraction or the subject is intellectually similar or superior. Usually the client is voluntary and knows they need help and it a very different situation when the client is persuaded against their better judgement and do not believe they require help. What Keitel does is to exploit the normal insecurities, idealism and life inexperience of his subject and presents visual accounts of the situations previous mentioned to demonstrate the damage which can be done. However Kate uses the potent mixture of her vulnerability and being captive together with her gorgeous body which she shows naked to him and to the audience to reverse the tables.
He becomes sexually besotted and sexually dependent while she shows contempt for his sexual ability puts him in a dress and paints his face with make up and abuses. He appears to enjoy this. There is a series of explosive and love hate scenes between the two.
The postscript to the film is a positive one. Kate returns to India with her mother as father has gone off with his secretary and commences a relationship with a young an implied inexperienced Indian boy, having during a break in the process when friends come to visit and they go night clubbing together she engages in kissing the friend who went to India with her and is fondled by the men friends. She appears to be as experienced if not more experienced that Keitel in several respects.
She sends Keitel a postcard with her news that he has her love albeit at a distance. He has married his assistant and they have twins. He is touched by getting love and the continuation of a conspiratorial relationship is covered by his email reply stating that he is not disclosing the contact or its nature with his wife.
The film will be regarded by some as a cautionary tale, exposing the dangers of getting involved with guru’s and cults and of the therapist client relationships which are not conducted by professionals in supervised locations. However this would be a simplistic response as the truths are partial. Gurus and cult leaders should not be bracketed with psychiatrists, psychologists, therapists and counsellors although some Gurus have years of training and applied knowledge behind them and act in a professionals way towards those who seek their advice and help whereas trained therapist who are members of professional bodies and who work under supervision can become attracted by opposites, seduced and manipulated and consequently damage already damaged, disturbed and vulnerable individuals.
The aspect of the film which impressed me was the turning of tables in which Kate exposes unmet needs and desire of Keitel. It has to be emphases that the character played by Kate is ineffective blackmailed into participating in the therapy. In this instance the outcome is positive for both but in real life things are likely to work out different.
Those who created the 2000 released film Quills admit that it is not based on the facts of the life of the Marquis De Sade life but is a vehicle to examine issues such as censorship, pornography, sex, art, mental illness and religion. To this list I would add the misuse of power.
The Abbé du Coulmier is the head of an institution in France for those who have been declared insane during a period when Napoleon rules France. De Sade is incarcerated through his wife and the state because of his behaviour and those of his writings considered pornographic defamatory and subversive rather than because of his mental condition. In fact the film opens during the Reign of Terror with De Sade free and enjoying a view of the guillotine as a young harmless woman is put to her death to the enjoyment of the masses. The point I suppose being made is that if people are allowed to do as they please without state, religious or other sanctions and frameworks then human slaughter and suffering on a gigantic scale will occur.
Certainly having listed all the wars and acts of genocide occurring during the period of my life and that of my respective parents, the accumulation of numbers is staggering, with millions dying during certain short periods and the total running into hundreds of millions and most sobering of all I have only identified a couple of years when no war or slaughtering is not recorded (and which is not same thing as saying that none took place). To achieve some balance and to provide perspective my list also includes the great pandemics and the famines, the earthquakes and other natural disasters where the total is as great if not greater and yet the population of the planet has been able to increase by thousands of millions and continues to do so.
Having therefore made the point at the beginning of the film that governments and the population in general will commit horrific acts upon each other the film concentrates on the misuse of power by individuals. The Abbé is the real innocent in all of this. He cares for the inmates and in relation to the Marquis has allowed his cell quarters to be furnished with his furniture, his books, and an endless supply of writing paper and the pen (Quills) and ink. He is allowed to walk the grounds and organise theatre productions attended by society at the institution. He appears to also have an unlimited supply of wine with he shares with the Abbé as they debate issues which divide them.
What the Abbé does not know is that the Marquis has come to an arrangement with a Laundry maid to smuggle out his writings to an outside contact of a publisher and this results in the publication of Justine, his work which covers all manner of sexual activities and touches on the hypocrisy of the Princes of the Church who fornicate at random and make use of their position to increase their wealth and their power. In fact Justine was produced more than a decade before in internment at Charenton and he did not publish anything to merit the actions taken while he was there, or indeed put on the play which led to the various tragedies which bring the film to an end.
The Laundry maid is played by Kate Winslet who is fascinated by the man and who helps him for money. She also enjoys the substance of his writings which she shares with some of the other staff who engage in sexual orgies designed to demonstrate the corrupting influence of the writings. In fact while her character appears worldly and skilled in resisting the advances of the Marquis when she enters his cell. He interest is the Abbé who is helping with her general education and after her death he discovers that she a virgin.
Napoleon is advised to take action to stop de Sade continuing to publish but not to have him shot as his first reaction. He accepts advice to send in Doctor Royer Collard played by Michael Caine in one of his rare serious roles. He has an assortment of torture instruments designed to bring people to their senses including a water torture ducking device. He is also a hypocrite.
Arriving at the institution at the instigation of Napoleon he decides it is time to take his bride arranged with nuns at a convent of girl raised with them from being delivered as an orphan. She is not even of the legal age and because of his position he is able to marry and the nuns tell the girl she is lucky as the prospects for those in her position is usually the streets or to become nuns. The girl has been brought up a devout and innocent Catholic. Royer effectively rapes her at his pleasure without any regard for her feelings or inexperience. He has been allocated a chateau by Napoleon which is in need of repair and the appointed architect is young and attractive. The girl gets hold of a copy of Justine and seduces the young man and they run off together.
Meanwhile the Abbé is shocked to learn that the Marquis has arranged for the publication of Justine but he persuades Royer to allow him to continue with his approach on gaining an undertaking from De Sade to behave. As the relationship between Royer and the young girl becomes the subject of gossip De Sade writes a new play from that advertised to be performed and this highlights the behaviour of the Royer. He immediately closes the theatre and demands action be taken against De Sade who has his books, furniture wine, writing paper and quills removed to leave a bare cell.
At the play Winslet is sexually assaulted by one of the residents but fends him off with an iron. De Sade continues to write using his clothing and bed sheets using is blood and then his excrement. He is tortured by Royer who turns his aggression on the institution when his wife runs off. He whips Winslet when he learns from a jealous member of staff that she has and is assisting the Marquis. Kate and the Abbé are on the verge of becoming lovers when he is filled with remorse with his intention to sin. Later when Kate is killed he has a fantasy of having sex with her dead body.
The Abbé continues to try and change De Sade and at one point gives crucifix which de Sade uses to commit suicide. De Sade is played by the brilliant Geoffrey Rush who is a tall man in good shape for his years. De Sade was comparative short and fat at this time.
The film ends with an effectively swap of roles as in Holy Smoke. It is the Abbé who occupies the former cell as De Sade and who writes away, under the spirit of the Master. The new head of the establishment proudly shows off the fact that the inmates have become subdued and work constructively on a printing press book production company. Their output is the writings of De Sade.
Now to a very mixed bag of films commencing with one seen ages ago, written about and then the draft was lost. I did not regard Cornered as special until reading information afterwards and learning that four of those involved in the making of the film Edward Dmytryk the Director, Adrian Scott, the producer and two of the actor Morris Carnovsky, and Luther Adler were blacklisted because of their alleged left wing inclinations have made a political film against Fascism released in 1945.
My reservations about the film is that the main character played by Dick Powell as Gerard, a Royal Canadian Airforce Pilot fails to convince me although it is a workmanlike performance given the period when it was made.
It appears that at some point he had a brief 20 day relationship with a French girl and hey were married. He was effected by his experience in a POW camp and is devastated and angry to find out that his bride, a member of the French Resistance had been murdered along with a number of others, including the priest who married them
His father-in-law Etienne Rouging identifies Vichy collaborator Marcel Jarnac as the man responsible and who officially died in 1943, but Rougon has strong doubts. Jarnac was so careful about maintaining his anonymity, so there is no description of him on record. When he manages to locate the man who had dealings with Jarmac he had died in an explosion which has destroyed he property and all his records with the exception of a sheet of charred paper
He then traces the widow of the man having lived in Switzerland although she has moved on but having acquired an official envelope from the insurance brokers/lawyers he sends it to address and then weights outside for the redirected letter to be pout out for the postman, Without knowing the postal system at the time this appears to stretch credulity. The redirected letter is for an address in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
I can well believe that the limited travelling of English speaking people to Argentina at that time would mean that every visitor would of interest to the authorities and to the media but that he is met by at the airport by Melchior Incza (Walter Slezak), a stranger who knows all about him or gives the impression of this. Gerard rejects Incza's offer of help, but cannot turn down his invitation to a party hosted by wealthy businessman Tomas Camargo (Steven Geray) for the opportunity to mingle with Mme Jarnac's social set. There he meets Camargo's uncle, Manuel Santana (Morris Carnovsky), and the widow herself (Micheline Cheirel).
When Gerard later questions Mme Jarnac in her hotel room, she refuses to cooperate, so he starts openly following her. Santana asks him to desist, for reasons he will not divulge. Later, Gerard finds a suspicious valet, Diego (Jack La Rue), tidying up his hotel room at an odd hour. All these events are connected.
Mme Jarnac is followed to convent where in fact her sister is being for. She discloses she has never met her husband and was recruited for the role but believes he is alive and gives him an address where she thinks he is and that he is leaving the country. However the note is a false one and he nearly shoots the householder who is in fact part of group of anti fascists on the trail of Jarmac and all those who have fled to the country and South America and who part of a an underground Nazi organisation
Gerard then fools Incza into believing he has the full dossier compiled by Jarnac's associate. Incza breaks into the hotel safe, but the papers are not there. He then arranges for Gerard to be kept occupied, waiting for a phantom meeting with Camargo, while he searches his hotel room. When he is interrupted by Diego the Valet, he shoots him. The man was working for the anti fascists. Gerard is believed to be the killer although he had been lured to the room of a woman encountered at the Party he had attended on arrival. Later her husband supports his wife’s assertion that the two were together and that Gerard was not with them.
Although there is no evidence against him he is told to leave the county Incza tells Gerard that Jarnac will be seeing Camargo at his old office, Gerard decides to stake out a place Mme Jarnac recalls was once their meeting place. It is a trap. Gerard is captured, and Jarnac (Luther Adler) finally makes his appearance. Incza confirms he works for Jarnac, but is killed for talking too much. Gerard is to die as well, with Camargo as a witness that the two men killed each other. Camargo objects to becoming involved, but Jarnac threatens him with a paper in his possession. Gerard seizes the distraction to overpower Jarnac. He punches Jarnac repeatedly, and is only stopped by the arrival of Santana and Dubois. To their disappointment, Jarnac is dead, but Gerard shows them the paper detailing Jarnac's connection to Camargo; Santana states there appears to be enough there to expose the entire organization. There is the suggestion of a possible ongoing relationship between Gerard and the marriage of convenience widow.
I have written before about my love for the books about Horatio Hornblower RN and the subsequent film and TV series. Recently I could not resist watching again the 1951 film directed by Rail Walsh which stars Gregory Peck and Hornblower, Virginia Mayo as the sister of Wellington with Robert Beaty and young Terence Morgan. THe film covers the main stories from the Happy Return, A ship of the Line and Flying Colours.
The film open with Hornblower sent on a secret mission to South American to help a megalomaniac rebel who has indicated his willingness to fight against Spain if provided arms and ammunition. The ship is becalmed and the crew verge upon mutiny. Hornblower steers them to the fort controlled by their new ally. The ally admits that the Spanish are sending a major warship, more powerful that the 36 gun frigate and Hornblower devises a successful plan to capture the vessel when it is moored at harbour. The officers are placed in irons below for their own protection. The megalomaniac demands the captured ship which Hornblower hands over despite knowing he should have consulted the Admiralty first.
He then makes his way to Panama where he meets a small Spanish vessel and learns that Spain has switched sides and has become an ally against Napoleon and this is confirmed by a despatch from the local British Government representative and he releases the captives and sets off to reclaim the Spanish ship. This will be difficult enough but there is an added complication as the sister of Wellington is onboard with her maid having fled Panama City because of yellow fever epidemic. This is a fictitious character and Wellington was not made a Duke until later.
They encounter the former Spanish ship and engage in an epic battle in which both vessels appear to be badly damaged with that held by the megalomaniac sunk. Amazingly they appear able to repair the own damaged masts, rigging and other damage to set course for England.
Given that the men have been at sea for many months he has difficulty handling the situation but when she goes down with fever he nurses her night and day until it is confirmed she has swamp fever and survives. Understandably a bond develops between the two. Although engaged to an Admiral she falls in love with Hornblower and he with her but discloses that he is already married. He brings the ship home as quickly as they can.
Most of the Admiralty regard Hornblower as a hero because of his exploits but not the fiancée‘s husband. Hornblower returns to his home to find that his wife died in childbirth and that he has a son. He learns that Wellington’s sister has married and on being summoned to London to take charge of a ship of the line captured from the French he finds himself assigned to the squadron commander by the sister’s husband. They receive orders to track down four French ships who have escaped a blockade.
The admiral reluctantly agrees that Hornblower should follow up a hunch that the ships will make attempt to support Napoleon campaign in the Iberian Peninsula while the reswt of the command make their way to where it is believed the ships will attempt to shelter. After capturing a French supply ship he learns the whereabouts of the French ships. Pretending to be French, Hornblower enters the harbour where the ships are being prepared to transport supplies. The captured is to taken back to the UK for prize money with a skeleton crew but only after finding the Admiral to say they have located the French ships. The ruse works and he is able to severely damage the French ships and sinking, leaves the vessel blocking the harbour entrance so they have to remain until the British fleet arrives.
Hornblower and his loyal second in Command (played by Beaty) are taken by land towards Paris for trial and execution as spies but they manage to escape with the help of the accompanying strong arm seaman played by James Robertson Justice.
They make their way to the port of Nantes and manage to get on board a captured British Ship manned by a skeleton crew and with the help of a working party of captured British seamen. They take the ship and return home
Understandably Hornblower is hailed as a British Hero but begs to be released from the honours and celebrations to return to his young son. There he finds Wellington’s sister waiting for him as the marriage of convenience has ended with the death of her husband and the couple embrace.
One more film to mention now with the Family Film to review after the Television catching up reports. Little Fockers 2010 part of the Ben Stiller stable of comedy films and with Robert De Nero as his father in Law, Dustin Hoffman as his father and Barbara Streisand as his mother. The problem is I did not find any aspect of the funny.
This is the third film in of the series with Meet the Parents 2000 and Meet the Fockers 2004. The father in law appears reconciled that his daughter should remain married to Greg but his long standing doubts gain fire when Grey is pursued to a sex alcoholic pharmaceutical company representative to whom who has sold an erectile dysfunction drugs. Also entering the scene is the daughter’s former fiancée, the rich kid now with his own estate and who is sponsors the birth party for the couple’s twins. Father in law appears to have achieved his original purpose and plans the couple to divorce and the daughter to marry her former fiancée. The arrival of Greg’s parents help although when they decide to move close to the couple and are joined by the parent’s determined not to be outdone. Grey re-establishes himself after his father in law has a heart attack.
The main hilarity is supposed to occur when father in law tries one of the erectile dysfunction drugs which because of medication in relation to his heart condition results in a prolonged and potentially dangerous situation which Greg is forced to relieve by administering an antidote injection which is witnessed by one of the twins and therefore has a lot of explaining to do.
The story is based on a Marvel comic character which in turn is based on ancient Norse myths of the God Odin and one of his sons Thor. For the purpose of the film Odin is not a God but king of an advanced development planet with the ability to travel between the 8 other planetary systems with life forms through a portal which has a 24 hour guardian to ensure that it use is only available to those authorised by the King.
Odin is a war lord type of being who is also wise and cultured and able to perform acts of magic. The story begins 1000 years ago when the Frost giant of the planet Jotunheim comes to earth in a bid to conquer the known worlds. This race the ability turns people as well as matter to ice threatening new ice age. The earth was saved through the arrival of Odin and forces who then went to the homeworld and defeated them returning with the source of the power and also the son of the defeated leader. He then concentrated on establishing and maintaining peace. His first born Thor is a headstrong young man, self confident ambitious and too full of himself who is to be named by his father as his official successor. His brother is less physical, artful and a schemer who skilled in magic so he can create holographic replicas of himself and secret mobility and most significantly is resentful of the position of his brother. In order to disrupt the great ceremony is gets some of enemies of Kingdom onto the planet with a view to take back the instrument of power removed the centuries before. His main purpose is to disrupt the ceremony and by dealing with the intruders show his father he is just as worthy of being King.
He then eggs on his brother and the close friends to undertake a raid on the enemy in retaliation for their but despite great valour it is Odin who has to come to rescue. He decides that Thor is not ready for the position as official heir and strips him of his power. He banishes his son sending him to earth with only human powers but he also send the hammer, a kind of Arthurian Sword but with great powers.
Dazed from his landing and situation he is hit by a vehicle driven by a research team led by Natalie Portman as an astrophysicist and take him to hospital where he breaks out although quickly finds he does not have his former strength. The authorities called S.H,I.E,L,D raid Portman’s centre and remove all her equipment and records giving her a cheque to cover the loss and start again.
There is the news of the arrival of the hammer the Mjolnir which is embedded and the local rednecks try to dislodge including using a tow truck. The authorities arrive called SHIELD and eventually Thor makes his way to the now heavily protected site but manages to gain access but is unable to dislodge the hammer. He is taken into custody and treated as a trained mercenary. He is released through the help of Portman’s chief assistant/adviser.
Meanwhile there have been developments back on Asgard. Odin reveals that Loki is not his natural son but that of the leader of the Jotunheim and he falls into a form of coma Odinsleep watched over by his wife. Loki assumes the role of the King and pretends to Thor’s followers that the King’s wife has confirmed that the banishment should remain. He orders the travel Gatekeeper to keep the portal closed and he then visits the enemy to do a deal to allow a select brought enter Asgard retrieve their instrument of power and kill Odin. He visits earth and tells Thor has his father is dead, he has been confirmed king and the banishment confirmed.
Not prepared to accept this situation Thor‘s friends come to earth rather than submit to the new regime with the Gatekeeper agreeing to help them. For his actions he is frozen and Loki to earth a powerful robot to destroy his adversaries. Meanwhile Thor has come to terms with his limitations and the rashness and boorishness of his behaviour. He sacrifices himself, apologising to his father for his failures, in order that the blood shedding on earth with stop. This has the consequence of rousing Thor from his condition and releasing the hammer to Thor as he appears to die. This has the effect of enabling him to destroy the robotic creature,
He has established an emotional relationship with Portman. He promises to return for her after he has sorted out the situation in the homeland. He is able to help the Gatekeeper free himself to open the gate. Meanwhile Loki has allowed into the kingdom Laurel and his assistants but kills the man before he kills his father. He hopes by this act to impress Odin and his Odin’s wife. He also sets about using the available powers to destroy the Jotenheim and refuses the appeal of Thor to stop. The two men fight and in order to stop the destruction of enemy Thor has to break the bridge to the portal thus also preventing his immediate return to earth and Portman. It is necessary for Odin to once more rescue his sons but Loki refuses to accept the situation and appears to end his life by refusing to accept the hand preventing him falling into endless space.
Thor is returned as the heir apparent but he is sorrowful with the loss of his brother and his inability to return for Portman. Before department he had managed to get the note book records taken by the SHIELD and he then persuaded the earth defenders to return all her equipment and allow her to continue her work. There is a long period of credits before the film ends but waiting until completion is rewarded by what appears to be a trailer for a second part. This shows Portman’s assistant being invited to work at the SHIELD research centre where it appears they are now close to creating a portal to Asgard and the rest of the galaxy. The sequel is scheduled for release in 2012 although Branagh will not direct. This will be undertaken by the Director Game of Thrones and the Boardwalk Empire.
I was impressed with the visual creativity of the Asgard capital city. The story was always engaging and central with the CGI effect supplemental rather than overwhelming and the use of post Production 3D effect. The quality of the acting performance and the script were also important. In addition to Natalie Portman Chris Hemsworth played Thor and Tom Hiddleston creditable as Loki. Sir Anthony Hopkins is Odin and Colm Feore Laufey.
I would have seen Holy Smoke in theatre had I realised it was showing! Channel Four Films has recently devoted a short season to the films of Kate Winslet, the remarkable Australian actress with ix Oscar nominations and about whom I have devoted several previous writings for work, especially in Heavenly Creatures, Sense and Sensibility, Jude, Hamlet, Titanic, Enigma, Iris, The Life of David Gale, Sunshine of the Eternal Mind, Little Children, The Reader, Revolutionary Road and Mildred Pierce, Then there is my favourite- Hideously Kinky and the two films which I will concentrate in this piece of writing: Holy Smoke and Quills
There are four issues covered in these two films, the power of sex to create and destroy life, the power which some individuals can exercise over others, the true nature of the Master/slave/subject relationship and Sado Masochism.
In Holy Smoke a young Australian woman (Winslet) from the suburbs journeys to India with a friend and becomes influenced by a Guru to the extent she decides not to return home. He mother is upset and assembles her family, putting up the cash to hire an exit counsellor to bring her home and undo the assumed brainwashing although in this instance the girl has experienced a sudden revelation about herself and is attempting to gain further insights by undertaking good works.
The development of specialist therapists to rescue those who have become members of cults gained momentum in the USA and elsewhere arising from a number of internationally known incidents from the Charles Manson murders to the mass suicides. Individuals have been kidnapped by their families, parents, husbands, legal guardians and then put through an intense process which attempts to undo their attachment. I will leave for the moment the morality of doing this in relation to adults of sound mind and progress the story.
The mother decides to hire an established and highly regarded practitioner, (Harvey Keitel) after she visits and persuades her daughter to return because her father is terminally ill. He is not does nor cares about what his daughter wants to do with her life but agrees as a cover for his infidelity with his secretary. Once home Kate realises she been brought back through a ruse but agrees to spend three days 24/7 with Keitel in an isolated cabin in the desert outback.
As in any situation involving a therapist (master role) and client (subject) the need for emotional detachment on the part of the therapist is fundamental especially if there is sexual attraction or the subject is intellectually similar or superior. Usually the client is voluntary and knows they need help and it a very different situation when the client is persuaded against their better judgement and do not believe they require help. What Keitel does is to exploit the normal insecurities, idealism and life inexperience of his subject and presents visual accounts of the situations previous mentioned to demonstrate the damage which can be done. However Kate uses the potent mixture of her vulnerability and being captive together with her gorgeous body which she shows naked to him and to the audience to reverse the tables.
He becomes sexually besotted and sexually dependent while she shows contempt for his sexual ability puts him in a dress and paints his face with make up and abuses. He appears to enjoy this. There is a series of explosive and love hate scenes between the two.
The postscript to the film is a positive one. Kate returns to India with her mother as father has gone off with his secretary and commences a relationship with a young an implied inexperienced Indian boy, having during a break in the process when friends come to visit and they go night clubbing together she engages in kissing the friend who went to India with her and is fondled by the men friends. She appears to be as experienced if not more experienced that Keitel in several respects.
She sends Keitel a postcard with her news that he has her love albeit at a distance. He has married his assistant and they have twins. He is touched by getting love and the continuation of a conspiratorial relationship is covered by his email reply stating that he is not disclosing the contact or its nature with his wife.
The film will be regarded by some as a cautionary tale, exposing the dangers of getting involved with guru’s and cults and of the therapist client relationships which are not conducted by professionals in supervised locations. However this would be a simplistic response as the truths are partial. Gurus and cult leaders should not be bracketed with psychiatrists, psychologists, therapists and counsellors although some Gurus have years of training and applied knowledge behind them and act in a professionals way towards those who seek their advice and help whereas trained therapist who are members of professional bodies and who work under supervision can become attracted by opposites, seduced and manipulated and consequently damage already damaged, disturbed and vulnerable individuals.
The aspect of the film which impressed me was the turning of tables in which Kate exposes unmet needs and desire of Keitel. It has to be emphases that the character played by Kate is ineffective blackmailed into participating in the therapy. In this instance the outcome is positive for both but in real life things are likely to work out different.
Those who created the 2000 released film Quills admit that it is not based on the facts of the life of the Marquis De Sade life but is a vehicle to examine issues such as censorship, pornography, sex, art, mental illness and religion. To this list I would add the misuse of power.
The Abbé du Coulmier is the head of an institution in France for those who have been declared insane during a period when Napoleon rules France. De Sade is incarcerated through his wife and the state because of his behaviour and those of his writings considered pornographic defamatory and subversive rather than because of his mental condition. In fact the film opens during the Reign of Terror with De Sade free and enjoying a view of the guillotine as a young harmless woman is put to her death to the enjoyment of the masses. The point I suppose being made is that if people are allowed to do as they please without state, religious or other sanctions and frameworks then human slaughter and suffering on a gigantic scale will occur.
Certainly having listed all the wars and acts of genocide occurring during the period of my life and that of my respective parents, the accumulation of numbers is staggering, with millions dying during certain short periods and the total running into hundreds of millions and most sobering of all I have only identified a couple of years when no war or slaughtering is not recorded (and which is not same thing as saying that none took place). To achieve some balance and to provide perspective my list also includes the great pandemics and the famines, the earthquakes and other natural disasters where the total is as great if not greater and yet the population of the planet has been able to increase by thousands of millions and continues to do so.
Having therefore made the point at the beginning of the film that governments and the population in general will commit horrific acts upon each other the film concentrates on the misuse of power by individuals. The Abbé is the real innocent in all of this. He cares for the inmates and in relation to the Marquis has allowed his cell quarters to be furnished with his furniture, his books, and an endless supply of writing paper and the pen (Quills) and ink. He is allowed to walk the grounds and organise theatre productions attended by society at the institution. He appears to also have an unlimited supply of wine with he shares with the Abbé as they debate issues which divide them.
What the Abbé does not know is that the Marquis has come to an arrangement with a Laundry maid to smuggle out his writings to an outside contact of a publisher and this results in the publication of Justine, his work which covers all manner of sexual activities and touches on the hypocrisy of the Princes of the Church who fornicate at random and make use of their position to increase their wealth and their power. In fact Justine was produced more than a decade before in internment at Charenton and he did not publish anything to merit the actions taken while he was there, or indeed put on the play which led to the various tragedies which bring the film to an end.
The Laundry maid is played by Kate Winslet who is fascinated by the man and who helps him for money. She also enjoys the substance of his writings which she shares with some of the other staff who engage in sexual orgies designed to demonstrate the corrupting influence of the writings. In fact while her character appears worldly and skilled in resisting the advances of the Marquis when she enters his cell. He interest is the Abbé who is helping with her general education and after her death he discovers that she a virgin.
Napoleon is advised to take action to stop de Sade continuing to publish but not to have him shot as his first reaction. He accepts advice to send in Doctor Royer Collard played by Michael Caine in one of his rare serious roles. He has an assortment of torture instruments designed to bring people to their senses including a water torture ducking device. He is also a hypocrite.
Arriving at the institution at the instigation of Napoleon he decides it is time to take his bride arranged with nuns at a convent of girl raised with them from being delivered as an orphan. She is not even of the legal age and because of his position he is able to marry and the nuns tell the girl she is lucky as the prospects for those in her position is usually the streets or to become nuns. The girl has been brought up a devout and innocent Catholic. Royer effectively rapes her at his pleasure without any regard for her feelings or inexperience. He has been allocated a chateau by Napoleon which is in need of repair and the appointed architect is young and attractive. The girl gets hold of a copy of Justine and seduces the young man and they run off together.
Meanwhile the Abbé is shocked to learn that the Marquis has arranged for the publication of Justine but he persuades Royer to allow him to continue with his approach on gaining an undertaking from De Sade to behave. As the relationship between Royer and the young girl becomes the subject of gossip De Sade writes a new play from that advertised to be performed and this highlights the behaviour of the Royer. He immediately closes the theatre and demands action be taken against De Sade who has his books, furniture wine, writing paper and quills removed to leave a bare cell.
At the play Winslet is sexually assaulted by one of the residents but fends him off with an iron. De Sade continues to write using his clothing and bed sheets using is blood and then his excrement. He is tortured by Royer who turns his aggression on the institution when his wife runs off. He whips Winslet when he learns from a jealous member of staff that she has and is assisting the Marquis. Kate and the Abbé are on the verge of becoming lovers when he is filled with remorse with his intention to sin. Later when Kate is killed he has a fantasy of having sex with her dead body.
The Abbé continues to try and change De Sade and at one point gives crucifix which de Sade uses to commit suicide. De Sade is played by the brilliant Geoffrey Rush who is a tall man in good shape for his years. De Sade was comparative short and fat at this time.
The film ends with an effectively swap of roles as in Holy Smoke. It is the Abbé who occupies the former cell as De Sade and who writes away, under the spirit of the Master. The new head of the establishment proudly shows off the fact that the inmates have become subdued and work constructively on a printing press book production company. Their output is the writings of De Sade.
Now to a very mixed bag of films commencing with one seen ages ago, written about and then the draft was lost. I did not regard Cornered as special until reading information afterwards and learning that four of those involved in the making of the film Edward Dmytryk the Director, Adrian Scott, the producer and two of the actor Morris Carnovsky, and Luther Adler were blacklisted because of their alleged left wing inclinations have made a political film against Fascism released in 1945.
My reservations about the film is that the main character played by Dick Powell as Gerard, a Royal Canadian Airforce Pilot fails to convince me although it is a workmanlike performance given the period when it was made.
It appears that at some point he had a brief 20 day relationship with a French girl and hey were married. He was effected by his experience in a POW camp and is devastated and angry to find out that his bride, a member of the French Resistance had been murdered along with a number of others, including the priest who married them
His father-in-law Etienne Rouging identifies Vichy collaborator Marcel Jarnac as the man responsible and who officially died in 1943, but Rougon has strong doubts. Jarnac was so careful about maintaining his anonymity, so there is no description of him on record. When he manages to locate the man who had dealings with Jarmac he had died in an explosion which has destroyed he property and all his records with the exception of a sheet of charred paper
He then traces the widow of the man having lived in Switzerland although she has moved on but having acquired an official envelope from the insurance brokers/lawyers he sends it to address and then weights outside for the redirected letter to be pout out for the postman, Without knowing the postal system at the time this appears to stretch credulity. The redirected letter is for an address in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
I can well believe that the limited travelling of English speaking people to Argentina at that time would mean that every visitor would of interest to the authorities and to the media but that he is met by at the airport by Melchior Incza (Walter Slezak), a stranger who knows all about him or gives the impression of this. Gerard rejects Incza's offer of help, but cannot turn down his invitation to a party hosted by wealthy businessman Tomas Camargo (Steven Geray) for the opportunity to mingle with Mme Jarnac's social set. There he meets Camargo's uncle, Manuel Santana (Morris Carnovsky), and the widow herself (Micheline Cheirel).
When Gerard later questions Mme Jarnac in her hotel room, she refuses to cooperate, so he starts openly following her. Santana asks him to desist, for reasons he will not divulge. Later, Gerard finds a suspicious valet, Diego (Jack La Rue), tidying up his hotel room at an odd hour. All these events are connected.
Mme Jarnac is followed to convent where in fact her sister is being for. She discloses she has never met her husband and was recruited for the role but believes he is alive and gives him an address where she thinks he is and that he is leaving the country. However the note is a false one and he nearly shoots the householder who is in fact part of group of anti fascists on the trail of Jarmac and all those who have fled to the country and South America and who part of a an underground Nazi organisation
Gerard then fools Incza into believing he has the full dossier compiled by Jarnac's associate. Incza breaks into the hotel safe, but the papers are not there. He then arranges for Gerard to be kept occupied, waiting for a phantom meeting with Camargo, while he searches his hotel room. When he is interrupted by Diego the Valet, he shoots him. The man was working for the anti fascists. Gerard is believed to be the killer although he had been lured to the room of a woman encountered at the Party he had attended on arrival. Later her husband supports his wife’s assertion that the two were together and that Gerard was not with them.
Although there is no evidence against him he is told to leave the county Incza tells Gerard that Jarnac will be seeing Camargo at his old office, Gerard decides to stake out a place Mme Jarnac recalls was once their meeting place. It is a trap. Gerard is captured, and Jarnac (Luther Adler) finally makes his appearance. Incza confirms he works for Jarnac, but is killed for talking too much. Gerard is to die as well, with Camargo as a witness that the two men killed each other. Camargo objects to becoming involved, but Jarnac threatens him with a paper in his possession. Gerard seizes the distraction to overpower Jarnac. He punches Jarnac repeatedly, and is only stopped by the arrival of Santana and Dubois. To their disappointment, Jarnac is dead, but Gerard shows them the paper detailing Jarnac's connection to Camargo; Santana states there appears to be enough there to expose the entire organization. There is the suggestion of a possible ongoing relationship between Gerard and the marriage of convenience widow.
I have written before about my love for the books about Horatio Hornblower RN and the subsequent film and TV series. Recently I could not resist watching again the 1951 film directed by Rail Walsh which stars Gregory Peck and Hornblower, Virginia Mayo as the sister of Wellington with Robert Beaty and young Terence Morgan. THe film covers the main stories from the Happy Return, A ship of the Line and Flying Colours.
The film open with Hornblower sent on a secret mission to South American to help a megalomaniac rebel who has indicated his willingness to fight against Spain if provided arms and ammunition. The ship is becalmed and the crew verge upon mutiny. Hornblower steers them to the fort controlled by their new ally. The ally admits that the Spanish are sending a major warship, more powerful that the 36 gun frigate and Hornblower devises a successful plan to capture the vessel when it is moored at harbour. The officers are placed in irons below for their own protection. The megalomaniac demands the captured ship which Hornblower hands over despite knowing he should have consulted the Admiralty first.
He then makes his way to Panama where he meets a small Spanish vessel and learns that Spain has switched sides and has become an ally against Napoleon and this is confirmed by a despatch from the local British Government representative and he releases the captives and sets off to reclaim the Spanish ship. This will be difficult enough but there is an added complication as the sister of Wellington is onboard with her maid having fled Panama City because of yellow fever epidemic. This is a fictitious character and Wellington was not made a Duke until later.
They encounter the former Spanish ship and engage in an epic battle in which both vessels appear to be badly damaged with that held by the megalomaniac sunk. Amazingly they appear able to repair the own damaged masts, rigging and other damage to set course for England.
Given that the men have been at sea for many months he has difficulty handling the situation but when she goes down with fever he nurses her night and day until it is confirmed she has swamp fever and survives. Understandably a bond develops between the two. Although engaged to an Admiral she falls in love with Hornblower and he with her but discloses that he is already married. He brings the ship home as quickly as they can.
Most of the Admiralty regard Hornblower as a hero because of his exploits but not the fiancée‘s husband. Hornblower returns to his home to find that his wife died in childbirth and that he has a son. He learns that Wellington’s sister has married and on being summoned to London to take charge of a ship of the line captured from the French he finds himself assigned to the squadron commander by the sister’s husband. They receive orders to track down four French ships who have escaped a blockade.
The admiral reluctantly agrees that Hornblower should follow up a hunch that the ships will make attempt to support Napoleon campaign in the Iberian Peninsula while the reswt of the command make their way to where it is believed the ships will attempt to shelter. After capturing a French supply ship he learns the whereabouts of the French ships. Pretending to be French, Hornblower enters the harbour where the ships are being prepared to transport supplies. The captured is to taken back to the UK for prize money with a skeleton crew but only after finding the Admiral to say they have located the French ships. The ruse works and he is able to severely damage the French ships and sinking, leaves the vessel blocking the harbour entrance so they have to remain until the British fleet arrives.
Hornblower and his loyal second in Command (played by Beaty) are taken by land towards Paris for trial and execution as spies but they manage to escape with the help of the accompanying strong arm seaman played by James Robertson Justice.
They make their way to the port of Nantes and manage to get on board a captured British Ship manned by a skeleton crew and with the help of a working party of captured British seamen. They take the ship and return home
Understandably Hornblower is hailed as a British Hero but begs to be released from the honours and celebrations to return to his young son. There he finds Wellington’s sister waiting for him as the marriage of convenience has ended with the death of her husband and the couple embrace.
One more film to mention now with the Family Film to review after the Television catching up reports. Little Fockers 2010 part of the Ben Stiller stable of comedy films and with Robert De Nero as his father in Law, Dustin Hoffman as his father and Barbara Streisand as his mother. The problem is I did not find any aspect of the funny.
This is the third film in of the series with Meet the Parents 2000 and Meet the Fockers 2004. The father in law appears reconciled that his daughter should remain married to Greg but his long standing doubts gain fire when Grey is pursued to a sex alcoholic pharmaceutical company representative to whom who has sold an erectile dysfunction drugs. Also entering the scene is the daughter’s former fiancée, the rich kid now with his own estate and who is sponsors the birth party for the couple’s twins. Father in law appears to have achieved his original purpose and plans the couple to divorce and the daughter to marry her former fiancée. The arrival of Greg’s parents help although when they decide to move close to the couple and are joined by the parent’s determined not to be outdone. Grey re-establishes himself after his father in law has a heart attack.
The main hilarity is supposed to occur when father in law tries one of the erectile dysfunction drugs which because of medication in relation to his heart condition results in a prolonged and potentially dangerous situation which Greg is forced to relieve by administering an antidote injection which is witnessed by one of the twins and therefore has a lot of explaining to do.
