Fitzcarraldo (1982) My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done (2009) Incident at Loch Ness (2004)

What we have here is three films, two directed by Werner Herzog and one starring and produced by the man. I guess you could say I have been having some Herzogian times of late. Let's get into it then eh gang...

Kinski. Lunatic. Brilliant.

Fitzcarraldo is played by Klaus Kinski, Herzog's main guy for five films. Visually he is rather startling in appearance; a shock of white hair, white suit and Kinski's er...unique face. Fitzcarraldo is a man of passions, one of which is opera. His dream is to build a house for his passion in the small town he inhabits in Peru. Requiring some serious coin to get the operation under way he decides that the lucrative rubber business is a good bet. The rubber trees he needs to access are up north and it will require journeying by river so a paddle steamer is acquired. To get the boat to the river requires crossing actual mountains, not a simple task. After much of the crew flees this mad expedition, Fitzcarraldo, by fortune, enlists the help of the forest natives. Amazing scenes of hundreds of men pulling a massive boat up a mountain in the Peruvian jungle takes place. What makes it even more amazing is the fact they actually did it for real while shooting the film. Herzog's passion for film making seemingly matches that of the character's story he is sharing. While I have not seen it myself, the doco Burden of Dreams (1982) captures the dramas involved in the huge undertaking. I really need to see this asap sirs and madams. Part of those dramas were Kinski, his good self. A character as possessed as Fitzcarraldo needs to come from somewhere and Kinski himself was perhaps even more so. Scenes of him screaming and ranting like a maniac at the crew can be seen in another documentary, My Best Fiend (1999), which is directed by Herzog and is a great insight into their relationship and should be seen. As much as they inspired one another they also conspired to murder one another. Those wonderful nutters.

4/5

The hulking presence of Michael Shannon seems to forewarn of the strange character you are about to encounter (much like in Boardwalk Empire) in My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done. His character Brad is a strange cat but after returning from a trip to the Peruvian jungle (gee Herzog loves it) his behaviour becomes increasingly bizarre. Asked to leave a theatre production he was to appear in, he goes on to slay his mother by sword, mimicking the tragedy in the play he was to lead. Events in Brad's past are recounted and insights through others shed light, sort of, on the guy's dilemmas.

A fine cast of actors who are serial offenders when it comes to appearances in the 'realm of odd' do good here. Willem Dafoe, Chloë Sevigny, Brad Dourif, Grace Zabriskie and Udo Kier all seem to enjoy the unusual material. That unusualness may indeed be exasperated by the fact that David Lynch was a producer. My beady little rat eyes lit up like a toxic inferno when I saw two of my favourite directors were in cahoots. Although entertaining it doesn't live up to the potential that many may have seen for this collaboration. It seems a little stretched at times with some unnecessary scenes, but if you are a fan of Herzog or Lynch this is still a treat. A tracking shot of a can of oatmeal rolling down a driveway, pet flamingos which Brad refers to as his 'eagles in drag' and garish scenes of suburbia are only a part of the lunacy. For me, it was certainly worth dipping my beak into. 

3.5/5

Zach Penn directed this mockumentary, Incident At Loch Ness, and also stars as the ridiculous director who leads Werner Herzog and their crew on a hunt for old Nessy. The beautiful scenery of Scotland and Herzog's presence are the only things that save this from being a complete disaster. Penn is perhaps the most moronic and irritating character (I hope he was acting) I have endured for a looong time. The first 5 minutes is actually quite encouraging and those not in on the joke could wonder if it was in fact a real doco. Silly twists and characters and obvious setups destroy that and sink any hope of enjoying this for what it is. There are a few memorable scenes with Herzog that got me through it, he is, in fact, credited with writing and producing this with Penn. Hopefully this is the last we'll see of this collaboration. More time hanging out with Lynch thanks Werner.

2/5

Not actually sure what this has got to do with the film but a good chance to hear a Herzog story anyway.

Other Films I'm Watchin' Round Up #2

Rocksteady- The Roots of Reggae (2009) A humble documentary that tells the story of the music known as Rocksteady. It was the precursor to Reggae and the people and times surrounding its birth and continued practice are illuminated here. It's all very nice, if a little dull though, a bit like how I find the music after a few tunes to be honest. Some great characters and performances however and surely worth seeing if you're a fan of the sound. 2.5/5

Legends of Rocksteady

The Kids Are Alright (2010) Well now, this film was nominated for 4 Oscars and, despite being well made, has some annoying characters I would have enjoyed seeing become involved in a car accident. The lesbian couple played by Julianne Moore and Anette Benning are painful and Mark Ruffalo as the sperm donor of their kids is a wonder-twat. The kids are actually quite alright though. 2.5/5

Moon (2009) Sam Rockwell brings it home (woh) in this atmospheric sci-fi. Visually it seems almost like it was shot in the 80's but it works beautifully and the soundtrack by Clint Mansell is perfect. Oh yeah I love this film. 4/5 

Get Low (2009) Robert Duvall and Bill Murray, that's a winning combination in my books. Murray is understated but still brings his unique charm and Duvall is great as the grizzly old bastard that has the town terrified. It walks a fine line with the sentimental drivel at times but has some touching moments and is pretty damn charming.  3.5/5

Rebel Without a Cause (1955) Alright, finally, I get it. James Dean that is. That kid could act the socks off a moggy. Entertaining stuff alright but I had to keep myself in check with the context of it at times. It's been so satirised over the years; the actual film, genre and era but obviously an important film. He was a good kid. 3.5/5

No blades man!

The Town (2010)

I must admit to enjoying this little sub-genre of films dealing in Boston's seedier side of life. You can generally expect tough talking Irish-Americans from a poor Catholic neighbourhood, dealing in or struggling against vices and criminal enterprises. To name check a few of the notables, Scorsese's 'The Departed' (2006), Eastwood's 'Mystic River' (2003) and to a lesser extent, Van Sant's 'Good Will Hunting' (1997). Ben Affleck obviously gets his kicks from them too having previously directed 'Gone Baby Gone' (2007), and now directing and starring in this. It's familiar territory; Affleck and his buddies are bank robbers running amok, a love interest enters the fray, Ben wants out of the criminal life, the FBI closes in, one more job looms, shit explodes. Very familiar indeed. However it is carried off well, blending some of the more solid action scenes I've witnessed for a while with rising tension amongst the heist mates. 

Hey guys, where's the Dropkick Murphy's soundtrack?

I enjoyed this, I was into it the whole way through. The love story is a little tiring and the predictable plot turns are present but they're executed solidly and professionally, just like the robberies. The mighty Pete Postlethwaite delivers with a quiet viciousness in a small role as a criminal boss. This was his second last film before succumbing to the scourge of cancer.

Affleck appears to have moved past his phase of appearing in steaming piles of shite. Now seeing his name attached to a project offers intrigue as opposed to praying you'll never be stuck in a plane with nothing else left to watch. If he keeps directing to this calibre, he and his brother, Casey, will have some exciting work ahead of them. 

As much as I enjoyed The Town however it didn't linger with me after the credits, a mark of success in my books. It is still never the less a worthy entry into the Bostonian crime genre. 

Now get the fawk outta here kid before I smack ya. 

3.5/5

Sunday Too Far Away (1975)

Another entry from the golden period of Australian film which produced many under-rated gems. It stars Jack Thompson, naturally, as Foley, the top local sheep shearer in the parched flats of South Australia. The long, hard days of working in the sheds are followed by raucous booze soaked nights. Despite the boredom isolation brings, the 'cockie' ie the farm boss, his tempting daughter, shit-awful food and impending strike action all keep the boys on their toes.

The story is a little fragmented but the setting definitely appears authentic and has been shot nicely. I could taste the sweat and dust in the relative comfort of my urban hovel. Jack is perfect in the role as one of the boys and shows a bit of vulnerability when his chips are down. Max Cullen also impressed as did Reg Lye as Old Garth, an alcoholic at the end of the line. The stupid things masculinity can drive a bloke to are fairly well exposed here but the joys of mateship is nicely shown as a counter.

I didn't know about this film before seeing it which surprises me, it doesn't seem to get much love which is a shame. Even the lack of clips on Youtube is an indication, so follow this link to Australia's National Film and Archive site for some viewing pleasure. The life of a shearer is not all laughs but there's certainly a few in this film. I think one day, maybe I'll shear sheep and drink rum all night too.

3.5/5

Breaker Morant (1980)

This film is always mentioned when Aussie classics are compiled so it's about bloody time I saw it. Based on true events during the Boer War, Edward Woodward excels as Harry 'Breaker' Morant, a lieutenant who along with two others in his command are charged with the murder of Boer prisoners. The hypocrisies and challenges of war are exposed during the tense trial by the soldier's defence, a rampaging Jack Thompson. Brian Brown is at his cheeky best and Australian icon Charles 'Bud' Tingwell is a welcome sight as the malevolent judge. Prolific director Bruce Beresford has an impressive resume and this must sit somewhere near the top of his achievements.

An excellent film by many standards, it begs questions that are perhaps unanswerable. I tried, and failed. Now...who else remembers Woodward in that television gem 'The Equaliser'?

4/5

El Topo (1970)

Where to begin with 'El Topo'? My first foray into the bizarro world of director Alejandro Jodorowsky left me slack jawed at times and on the verge of bolting from the room at others. Jodorowsky plays the lead character El Topo, which translates to 'The Mole'. Clad in black and with his naked son accompanying him on horse they both witness and commit scenes of carnage. This is a bloody movie, you will see a lot of blood, vast pools of blood, oozing and spraying in all bloody directions.

The traditional 7th birthday speech

El Topo soon sets out on a quest to kill four masters who reside in the depths of the desert. Encouraged by a flappy female whose company he traded for his son, El Topo tracks these bizarre characters down and challenges each of them. These unique chaps each symbolise one of the universe's religions and El Topo wants to be greater than them all. Metaphors appear to be rife throughout this chaotic journey, while some are gratuitous I gather from the themes that there may be more buried within the shattering images. At least they were buried to me, or perhaps Jodorowsky is just intentionally fucking with our heads. Scenes of disemboweled animals, mass hangings, rape, disfigurement, blood soaked walls are around every corner. Memorable characters and wildly inventive scenes are dotted amongst all this decay, so hang in there kid. After being peppered with bullets El Topo awakens in a cave, he has been transformed into a deity by a community of inbred outcasts. Shunning his former life of hate he pledges to free the cave dwellers by digging them free. Unfortunately all that awaits them is a town whose inhabitants are rendered despicable by their very own deity, whatever it is. Are you in yet?




This wasn't an easy film to watch on several levels. Horrible and confusing scenes while on one hand can be riveting on the other make me want to press 'stop' on my laboured DVD player. I've seen plenty of whacked out shit that matches this but a cowboys mystical journey to self discovery just about had me walking out and heading for the nearest saloon to try and forget all about it. In saying all that I'm glad I've experienced it and now feel compelled to see Jodorowsky's 'Holy Mountain' (1973). Holy shit.
2.5/5

The Last Picture Show (1971)

Set in the small Texas town of Anarene, Peter Bogdanovich directed this story about a collection of characters foraging through the years 1951-52. It's primary focus is the young leads Sonny (Timothy Bottoms),  Duane (Jeff Bridges) and Jacy (a fledgling Cybil Sheppard). They've just finished high school and been thrust out into the world of adults and must learn to negotiate being treated as such. The town appears to offer little more than a bleak, monotonous future in the barren and dusty environment. 

There are some great performances apart from the 3 leads. Ben Johnson as Sam the Lion is fantastic as the rock of many of the townsfolk. Ellen Burstyn is very believable as the 'past her prime' former town beauty and oddball Randy Quaid in his first film role as a serial pest is classic.

It's shot in black and white which is rare for a major film of this time. It looks great and adds to the sense of desolation and nostalgia.

The film was based on a book written by Larry McMurty, he has also written two others that follow on from the original. 'Texasville' is the second in the series and was also made into a film in 1990 by the same team of Bogdanovich directing and the three main cast reappearing. The sequel received fairly bland reviews, it picks up 33 years later and features the old team floundering in middle age. If I stumble upon it I suppose I'll give it a spin, it's my duty. The third book is called 'Duanes Depressed' and has not be adapted to film, perhaps because of the second films faltering. Now that Bogdanovich has finished his duties appearing as Elliot in the Sopranos, I think he should give it a dig. 

This is a really good American coming-of-age story. The fun and playful tones are contrasted  by the distressing and all too real events. Most people will have experienced their own similar trials and myself hailing from a country town of sorts (not quite as depressing as this one but close in my opinion) felt a certain twinge of recognition. This is another of those films I look forward to seeing again and would expect to take more away from subsequent viewings. You should watch it at least once though man. Go on.
3.5/5