This film will be hated by many that cling on to any form of traditional storytelling in film. For viewers that get a kick out of abandoning the rules and diving headfirst into a brave new film-world it's perfect. Not that this movie breaks all the rules, in fact it builds and expands rather rigidly upon time honored film history. At the same time part of the fun is seeing how much the deconstruction and reassembling of the (early German expressionist through classic Hitchcock/ Lang, giallo and surrealist dream) elements of older movies are put through the mind-blender and figuring out what comes out at the other side. As the video-clip (thank you Ken Russell's Tommy) was the successor to the old MGM musicals, The Strange Color
.is a psycho-thriller with all the boring parts cut out. Does this come out as total sensory overload? pretty sure it does. The effect is a bit like a Jungian 2001 Stargate sequence.
This is not an affectionate homage but rather one of the possible next steps to expand the form and genre.
The makers (directing/ photography/editing / actors/ production design) are in complete control of what they want to put on the screen The vertigo and disorientation of the audience are absolutely core business of the genre. It doesn't mean the images are void of meaning, but active interpretation of the images/sounds and symbols is needed and are what makes the movie tick.
As for film and visual and sequential language the bar is raised very high, every shot is carefully composed to a T. Perfect soundscape and retro music. There's also a sly humor in playing with the genre elements (Inspector Vincenticelli and the "Europudding multilingual dialogue" that was so much part of the feel of 70's Italian films - would be great if there existed dubbed Italian/English versions. Red herrings and faux explanations/endings play out as well.
For adventurous viewers, see it on the big screen if you get the chance. Then multiple repeat home viewings to sort it all out.
(and after receiving my DVD ..happy to report, this movie definitely does make sense, does not drop the ball - as most routine Hollywood mystery thrillers do - plot-wise. The devil is in the details, but you have to be willing to enter the labyrinth.)
This is not an affectionate homage but rather one of the possible next steps to expand the form and genre.
The makers (directing/ photography/editing / actors/ production design) are in complete control of what they want to put on the screen The vertigo and disorientation of the audience are absolutely core business of the genre. It doesn't mean the images are void of meaning, but active interpretation of the images/sounds and symbols is needed and are what makes the movie tick.
As for film and visual and sequential language the bar is raised very high, every shot is carefully composed to a T. Perfect soundscape and retro music. There's also a sly humor in playing with the genre elements (Inspector Vincenticelli and the "Europudding multilingual dialogue" that was so much part of the feel of 70's Italian films - would be great if there existed dubbed Italian/English versions. Red herrings and faux explanations/endings play out as well.
For adventurous viewers, see it on the big screen if you get the chance. Then multiple repeat home viewings to sort it all out.
(and after receiving my DVD ..happy to report, this movie definitely does make sense, does not drop the ball - as most routine Hollywood mystery thrillers do - plot-wise. The devil is in the details, but you have to be willing to enter the labyrinth.)