Interview with the Vampire

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"Libera me, Domine, de vitae aeterna" - "Free me, Lord, from eternal life": If a movie begins with a choir and boy soprano singing these words, in a requiem's style and overlaying the camera's sweeping move over nightly San Francisco bay, zooming in on a Victorian building's top-floor window after having followed the life on the street below like a hunter follows its prey - if a movie begins like this, you know you're not looking at your average flick, whatever its subject. (And if the first thing you catch is the Latin phrase's grammatical mistake, this is probably not your kind of movie to begin with).

Much-discussed even before its release, due not least to Anne Rice's temporary withdrawal of support and her no less sensational subsequent 180-degree turn, Neil Jordan's adaptation of the "Vampire Chronicles"' first part, based on Rice's own screenplay, is a sumptuous production awash in luminous colors, magnificent period decor and costumes, rich fabrics, heavy crystal, elegant silverware and gallons of deeply scarlet blood, supremely photographed by Phillippe Rousselot, with a constant undercurrent of sensuality and seduction; an audiovisual orgy substantiated by one of recent film history's most ingenious scores (by Elliot Goldenthal). Although the book only gained notoriety after the publication of its sequel "The Vampire Lestat," followed in short order by the "Chronicles"' third installment, "The Queen of the Damned," by the time this movie was produced, Rice had acquired a large and loyal fan base, who would have been ready to tear it to shreds had it failed to meet their expectations. That this was not unanimously the case is in and of itself testimony to Neil Jordan's considerable achievement (only underscored by the botched 2002 realization of "Queen of the Damned"). Sure, some decry the plot changes vis-a-vis the novel and the fact that some of the protagonists (particularly Louis and Armand) look different from Rice's description. But others have embraced the movie wholeheartedly; praising it for remaining faithful to the fundamentalities of Rice's story and for its production values as such. I find myself firmly in the latter corner; indeed, in some respects I consider this one of the rare movies that are superior to their literary originals - primarily because the story's two main characters, Louis and Lestat, gain considerably in stature and complexity compared to Rice's book.

While both film and novel are narrated by Louis (Brad Pitt), giving an interview to a reporter (Christian Slater) in the hope of achieving some minimal atonement for 200 years of sin and guilt, and while Lestat (Tom Cruise) appears on screen barely half the movie's running time, Lestat is much more of a central character than in Rice's novel; and vastly more interesting. For Anne Rice's Lestat only comes into his own in the "Chronicles"' second part, which is named for him and where we truly learn to appreciate him as the vampire world's aristocratic, arrogant, wicked, intelligent and unscrupulous "brat prince," who although completely lacking regret for any of his actions nevertheless shows occasional glimpses of caring, even if he would never admit thereto. *This*, however, is exactly the movie's Lestat; not the comparatively uninformed and, all things considered, even somewhat brutish creature of Rice's first novel. It is no small feat on Tom Cruise's part to have accomplished this; and in my mind his portrayal has completely eclipsed the character's original conception, which was reportedly based on Rutger Hauer's Captain Navarre in "Ladyhawke."

Similarly, while every bit as guilt-ridden as the character created by Anne Rice, Brad Pitt's Louis regains more inner strength - and more quickly so - than the narrator of Rice's book, rendering him more of an even foil for Lestat, and equally lending greater credibility to his initial selection as Lestat's companion, his actions to ensure his and Claudia's escape to Europe, and his later decision not to stay with Armand. (Indeed, Louis's and Armand's separation after the burning of the Theatre of the Vampires makes perfect sense in the movie's context; it would have undercut both characters', but especially Louis's credibility had they gone on to share years of companionship like in the book.)

Kirsten Dunst's Claudia was not only this movie's biggest discovery - not surprisingly, in an interview included on the DVD Dunst calls this "the most prominent role" of her career so far - she, too, embodies the novel's child vampire to absolute perfection; capturing her eternally childlike features as well as her Lolitaesque seductiveness and the ruthless killer hidden under her doll-like appearance. Doubtlessly furthest from the novel's character is Antonio Banderas's powerful and charismatic Armand: But while I do somewhat miss Rice's auburn-haired "Botticelli angel," I always had a problem imagining him as the leader of the Paris coven, in control even of the quicksilver-like Santiago (marvelously portrayed by Stephen Rea in one of his most overtly theatrical performances). Here, too, the movie - if anything - gives the story greater credibility; although it's admittedly hard to reconcile with parts of the "Chronicles"' later installments, particularly Armand's own biography.

In interviews, Neil Jordan and Brad Pitt particularly have mentioned the emotional strain that this movie put on all its participants; due its almost exclusively nightly shooting schedule, and even more so because of its incessant exploration of guilt, damnation and, literally, hell on earth. Anne Rice's vampires truly are the ultimate outsiders; no longer part of human society, they feed on it, can neither be harmed by sickness nor by methods the world has taken for granted ever since Bram Stoker's "Dracula" (which are in fact merely "the vulgar fictions of a demented Irishman," as Louis explains, simultaneously amused and contemptuous) and are thus, if not killed by fire and/or beheading, condemned to walk the earth forever, without any hope of redemption. It is primarily this element which has given Rice's novels their lasting appeal, and which is perfectly rendered in Jordan's adaptation. I'm still not sure I'd ever want to meet them in person, though ...

Also recommended:
Complete Vampire Chronicles (Interview with the Vampire, The Vampire Lestat, The Queen of the Damned, The Tale of the body Thief)
The Vampire Companion
Ladyhawke
Bram Stoker's Dracula (Collector's Edition)

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The Italian Job (1969)

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There are few genres as enduring in the movie biz as the heist and they don't come any more entertaining than this one. Michael Caine is at his best as a fresh-out-of-jail, small-time crook who decides to pull the job of the century. To achieve this, he sets about finding someone to bankroll the enterprise, in the person of Noel Coward. Coward, a big time syndicate boss is still running his business from jail and after some persuasion, agrees.

Caine then sets about assembling a cast of idiosyncratic no-hopers to carry out his bold plan, among them Benny Hill, an electronics wizard with a fondness for fat women. After much practicing, three teams in Mini Coopers (driven by "chinless wonders") set off for Italy with a bus-full or two of supporters all dressed as soccer fans. The arrival on the scene of the Mafia does little to dampen their enthusiasm and the fun really starts.

The climax of this action/farce is the car chase through the streets, sewers and even the skyline of Turin. Plenty of action, plenty of laughs and all very well paced. If anything, it's probably too short (though I don't mean the ending...) but I guess that just makes you appreciate it that much more. An old favorite which is hard to beat. Know wot I mean, Guv?

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Wanderlust

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After missing "The State" when it was on the air, I became a fan of David Wain when "Stella" hit Comedy Central in 2005. From there I went back and visited Wet Hot American Summer and Role Models. Wet Hot American Summer is a classic while Role Models is humorous but just slightly better than average overall. Expectations were honestly pretty low for Wanderlust. The trailers were mostly just toilet humor (literally) and what appeared to be your everyday modern couple going to live with a group of hippies. How good could that be? It's probably because expectations were so low that Wanderlust is as great as it turned out to be.

George (Paul Rudd) and Linda (Jennifer Aniston) are moving to New York to follow their dreams. Well, George is reluctantly moving there while Linda follows her dreams. Now they find themselves with a studio apartment (oh excuse me, a "micro-loft") that is incredibly tiny and massively expensive. But things get rough when Linda's hopes get washed down the drain and George loses his job. George's brother Rick (Ken Marino) has a job waiting for George, but they're all the way in Atlanta. Leaving their dreams behind, George and Linda go on a road trip and stop at Elysium before reaching their destination. Elysium is unlike anything George and Linda have ever experienced before as everyone shares everything, is so open with one another, and even believes in free love. As everything that could go wrong does, George and Linda are faced with the decision of continuing to live in the city for the technology and advancements they love or moving to the country, being stripped of that technology, and feeling happier than they can ever remember.

One could argue that Wanderlust uses the same formula over and over involving raunchy jokes and dialogue and featuring the most nudity of any film in your recent memory. That may be the case, but if you're familiar with David Wain's humor then this should come as no surprise. You probably know what you're getting yourself into and you're either a fan of his work or you hate it (but then why would you be seeing this anyway?). Wanderlust is labeled as a comedy and if it makes you laugh, then it's done its job. If anything, this is actually a return to form for both Wain and the majority of the cast of "The State."

The film throws you headfirst into hilarity as the "breaking the apartment in the old fashioned way" scene is kind of a warm-up for what's to come. George's sarcasm is what will more than likely win you over the most while Linda's inability to commit to any sort of career causes her character to be pretty unpredictable. Elysium is a gold mine of eccentric characters; the most noteworthy being Wayne (Joe Lo Truglio) the nudist and Seth (Justin Theroux). Wayne's nude habits will either have you in tears from laughing so hard or cause you to turn away in disgust while Seth's outdated technology references, his ability to loiter around doorways out of sight and selfish tendencies are hilarious in their own right. Paul Rudd's mirror scene is what you'll remember the most though as you'll be laughing for a good two or three minutes straight from that scene alone.

Wanderlust does get pretty outlandish in its second half, but it isn't exactly the most grounded concept to begin with. There are several dream-like sequences that are fantastically surreal. The two that come to mind are Linda's peyote-like trip during the trust circle and George's fly dream. The fly dream is actually one of my favorite scenes in the movie since it's just so bizarre and random yet manages to fit the flow of the movie somehow.

The R-rated comedy does have its shortcomings though. Rick is easily the most annoying character to be featured in any film so far in 2012. You'll breathe a sigh of relief once his story arc is resolved. The other main one is the film's conclusion. It feels a bit generic when all of the raunchiness is dropped for heartfelt speeches and the struggle to do what's right. Everything still comes together in a logical sense, but it's in a way that seems so familiar which is kind of a letdown. The transition just doesn't feel as smooth as it should.

Wanderlust is vulgar, obscene, littered with jiggling unclothed man and lady parts, and downright disgusting at times, but it's laugh out loud funny because of all of these things. The story may be a bit lacking in parts, but your laughter will drown out whatever flaws the movie may have. While Wanderlust may not be for everyone, it certainly soars and caters to those who love this type of comedy.

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Contract Killers

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If the weather is bad and you can't get out then this is an okay time waster, but do not pay more than $2 for it. The film is murky and the action is fair. You can tell this is not a high budget movie because the opening scenes are done in the dark and not lit well. This is to hide the lack of budget. When the movie goes to the Bahamas, the action picks up and we have a cheap car chase. Prices are cheaper here so they can film in the day, but it is still muted colors. There is gun play but no shots of the bullets hiting anyone, that would cost money. There is a "sex" scene but no nudity[damn it]. However this was filmed in a strange way, you see the main cahracter lost her husband about two days before and now she is going to bed with a stranger. All this is happening while she is remembering how her husband died. There is nothing new here in the way of plot and the acting is not bad, so it it an okay movie. Nothing more, nothing less. So if you have $2 and time to waste be my guest.

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I'm Still Here

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Madness or high-concept performance art? "I'm Still Here," the faux documentary about actor Joaquin Phoenix, is likely to baffle and divide its audience. When Phoenix decided to quit acting, and seemingly hygiene, to pursue his passion of becoming a rap star--his friend and brother-in-law Casey Affleck was there to follow and film the inevitable fall from grace. There was rampant speculation from the get-go about the legitimacy of the endeavor (especially as it was all being filmed), but the longer the debacle played out--the less it seemed to matter. Fake or real, the damage was being done. Now, almost two years later, to have the entire experience and film declared a ruse seems the ultimate act of futility. Who, exactly, is the joke on? And to what purpose?

"I'm Still Here" covers all the trappings of a celebrity life in descent. Drug use, prostitutes, public intoxication, brawling and a "star" desperate to be taken seriously despite his best efforts to act a fool--we've seen the act before in countless narrative films and fictionalized biographies. We get a repeat of the infamous Letterman interview, the concert performance that became a YouTube sensation, and the incident where Phoenix attacked a concert goer. We also get to see moments of celebrity intervention--Edward James Olmos tries the spiritual approach while Ben Stiller tries to get Phoenix back to work. Much of the film is about a scramble to get into the music industry. Phoenix aggressively pursues P. Diddy, the film's most inspired performance, who is mainly just concerned about getting paid. Now that's real! And it all concludes on a rather ridiculous "arty" note which has got to be satirical.

Affleck has maintained that this is his brother-in-law's best performance. The problem is--I don't know if I believe him, I don't know that I care, and I don't know if it matters? At some point, you have to ask yourself "what's the point?" As near as I can figure, the only analysis has "I'm Still Here" as a discussion on the nature of reality and/or the nature of celebrity. On either account, is it relevant and necessary? When it was declared "I'm Still Here" was a hoax, that really doesn't change much of the on-screen content. Phoenix deconstructed his life on camera and those bad acts were put in the film. Even if some of the private incidents were staged (who knows? who cares?), the public behavior earned Phoenix notoriety as a drug addled buffoon. So whether he was living the life depicted or "acting" like he was living the life depicted, there isn't much real difference. What's that say about reality? Not so sure. And with celebrity meltdowns almost a monthly occurrence, does a "fake" one merit much interest? Not so sure.

The alternate option, and the one I tend to gravitate towards, is that it's all really quite meaningless in the long run. I think Affleck's "truthful" revelation while the film was in limited release was meant to fuel interest and debate. Duh? Fine, then, let's set a different set of standards. As a fictional experiment, I still think the film and its topic play out too often in real life to be particularly revelatory here. In terms of entertainment, I'd make the same argument. At best, I'd say that "I'm Still Here" is a fascinating excursion in self-indulgence both by Phoenix and Affleck. Whether that's enough will depend on your interest in the pair. I was mildly interested when all is said and done. KGHarris, 10/10.

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Trading Places

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This review refers to the Widescreen Collection/DVD edtion(Paramount)of "Trading Places"....

If you have already seen this fabulously fun film, then you know the scene I am referring to in my title of this review.It is just one of the many, many laugh out loud moments that Eddie Murphy and Dan Aykroyd and the rest of the brillant cast treat us to. If you haven't seen it and you like to laugh..this is a must see, one that will brighten your holdiays and leave you grinning ear to ear whenever you think of it.

The very wealthy brothers Randolph and Mortimer Duke portrayed by legends Ralph Bellamy and Don Ameche, are sitting around their exclusive club having a little tiff on the theory of Heredity vs. Enviroment. After bestowing a very generous Christmas bonus of five dollars to the man who sees to their needs year round, they make a little wager. The bet...take their most trusted employee(Aykroyd), and play with his life until he becomes an outcast. Take a street-wise con-artist(Murphy),and give him a taste of the good life. Who will prevail? Will the Harvard grad, still be the person he was, after losing everything, or will he turn to crime? And what about the con man? Will his new enviroment make a new man out of him or will he still resort to his old ways? Watching these two "Trading Places" is one of the most fun 2 hours you can spend. The story takes place between Christmas and New Years so it's a great Holdiay film to add to your collection as well.

The cast is marvelous.Dan Aykroyd is the perfect snob, and Eddie Murphy, well he's just great at being Eddie Murphy. Jaime Lee Curits is the hooker with a heart(who's looking to increase her bank account and get off her back),Don Ameche and Ralph Bellamy show they haven't lost what it took to become the legends they are, and Denholm Elliot is perfectly cast as the butler in on the action. Adding to the fun are Bo Didley,Paul Gleason, Frank Oz and James Belushi. Directing this wonderful cast is John Landis, who doesn't miss a trick and the music by Elmer Bernstein sets the tone perfectly as usual.The movie is rated R for some some scenes of nudity(do we expect any less from Jaime Lee?).

The DVD is a great buy. The anamorphic widescreen picture is gorgeous. Clear and bright with beautiful colors, the film does not appear to be 20 years old already. You have the choice of Dolby Dig 5.1 surround sound or stereo surround sound, both are excellent. There are English subtitles and it may be viewed in French(mono). There are no special feautres though.

So how much was the wager they made? A whooping one dollar! Who wins?.....I'll never tell!

Seen it?..you know you gotta have it!...Haven't seen it?....Go for it!...You'll love it!...enjoy....Laurie

more fun stuff:
Jimmy Hollywood [VHS]
Diamonds
Goin' South [VHS]
(see my reviews for film details)

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VeggieTales: Minnesota Cuke and the Search for Samson's Hairbrush

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Some Veggie Tales are safe to plop your kid in front of so you can fix dinner in peace, because you know it's just a fun break for them with encouraging themes and a much better alternative to programming on TV. This isn't one of them.

Not to state the obvious, but different parents are going to have different ways in which they want their kids dealing with situations. Parents should simply be aware that in this episode of Veggie Tales, "turning the other cheek" means telling kids that it's okay to get beat up by a bully as long as they show the bully they're not afraid. What?!

The second story segment with Minnesota Cuke simply talks about not using a position of ability or prominence to hurt others--even if they've earned it. No problem, and good idea--I'm all about the mercy thing.

However, it's the first segment, with Junior Asparagus dealing with a playground bully, that's more disturbing, and unfortunately, purposely made to be very realistic. I can see what the producers wanted to do, but there were so many problems with this first segment it just can't hold water. Your parental preference might be to tell your child to never fight back, but I think no matter what your bully policy is, all parents should be aware that this is the message before they purchase it. Additionally, Junior Asparagus' dad leaves him to deal with the bully without parental help--not something I'm crazy about since this involved Junior getting hurt in the first place. I understand that kids are not always able to get adult help, but at the same time, you better believe I'm not going to stand there over the grill and let my kid go walk off to get beat up at the neighborhood playground.

Further, Junior solves this by getting all of his friends to stand up to the bully and make the bully feel bad. While that could present problems in and of itself, it's been my experience that bullying involves one or two main players who pick on one kid for the benefit of a huge audience that won't step in to aid the victim. Perhaps the situations I've had to step into are worse than what the Veggie Tales producers were working toward, but I just cringed all of the way through this segment.

My first recommendation is to get the other Veggie Tales before purchasing this one--all of the Larry Boys are favorites in our house, for example. If you want this for Minnesota Cuke (not a bad piece!) then my second recommendation would be to make sure you're clear on what you want your children to do in the face of bullying and discuss this as you watch this one (i.e., "I know this is what Junior did, but what would *you* do?").

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