Peter Sellars, a genius who frequently looks back at theatre and opera texts of many centuries past, uses silent filmmaking as an abstract and emotive way of picturing the era just then departed--Reagan's 80s. RAMIREZ may be the most apt and accurate rendering of that time on film.
8 Reviews
Phantasmagorically terrifying! A truly disturbing experience.
IFeedPigeons11 October 2006
I saw this on PBS when it first aired. I was 25. I was prompted to watch it due to the tile, as I figured it must be a remake of The Cabinet of Doctor Caligari (another scary film). Lo and behold, it pretty much was.
13 years later, I have NEVER forgotten how scary this movie was. Every so often in passing have I seen in my mind the special effects that fill this film.
Halllucinatory, phantasmagoric images encompassed every single corner of the screen during much of the film. That chant scared the wits out of me as well - yet the totally silent scenes were that much worse. Kudos to everyone involved in the movie -- it has a long-lasting effect on the viewer, which cannot be said for too many movies.
I think that the images were provocative and came off the way schizophrenics may see the world -- non-stop slants, twists and unsure footings. For these, the camera angels were put to excellent use. Mikhail, Joan and Peter were all great. I could go on and on about this film, so I'll just keep it short, lest I get exhausted. I do hope that, if this ever plays again, that I will have heard about it because I'd love to get a copy of this. A truly disturbing experience. Highly recommended!
13 years later, I have NEVER forgotten how scary this movie was. Every so often in passing have I seen in my mind the special effects that fill this film.
Halllucinatory, phantasmagoric images encompassed every single corner of the screen during much of the film. That chant scared the wits out of me as well - yet the totally silent scenes were that much worse. Kudos to everyone involved in the movie -- it has a long-lasting effect on the viewer, which cannot be said for too many movies.
I think that the images were provocative and came off the way schizophrenics may see the world -- non-stop slants, twists and unsure footings. For these, the camera angels were put to excellent use. Mikhail, Joan and Peter were all great. I could go on and on about this film, so I'll just keep it short, lest I get exhausted. I do hope that, if this ever plays again, that I will have heard about it because I'd love to get a copy of this. A truly disturbing experience. Highly recommended!
Obscureplotsi
FieCrier22 July 2004
This is an unusual movie. I'd recently watched Thief, The (1952), another movie without any spoken dialogue or intertitles. That movie had a clear story that could be followed easily. This one is not so clear. To some extent Cabinet of Dr. Ramirez, The (1991) borrows from Kabinett des Doktor Caligari, Das (1920), but it's hardly a remake; no more so than Dr. Caligari (1989) I think.
There's no spoken dialogue or diegetic sound. The only audio is the musical score, one that reminded me very much of Philip Glass and in particular his three -qatsi scores. Perhaps in consequence, occasionally the picture reminded me of Godfrey Reggio's -qatsi films too; for example, sometimes there were montages of shots of buildings (this movie has more of a story, though). Occasionally the film is completely silent.
Sometimes there are words on the screen; some newspapers are glimpsed, a whole page of a book is seen (the page deals with the "disappeared" and the "Mad Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo" in Argentina), and three business-sized cards with fortunes printed on them are seen. One character in the movie is seen mouthing words directly into the camera, but unfortunately I can't even guess what he might have been saying (if anything).
At the moment, this movie is labeled as a "Comedy" on IMDb. Perhaps it was meant as one, but no comedy was particularly evident to me. "Drama" seems more accurate. "Horror" wouldn't particularly fit; despite the roots in Kabinett des Doktor Caligari, Das (1920) and several deaths, it's not really a horror movie.
Peter Gallagher's character works in an office, seated next to his roommate. He has a relationship with Joan Cusack's character. Their apartments are curiously bare, and they sleep on mattresses on the floor. Their boss is taken away by two people with badges. The city they work in has several peculiar homeless people, who are treated poorly by the police. For the rest, I guess you'll just have to try to see it.
There's no spoken dialogue or diegetic sound. The only audio is the musical score, one that reminded me very much of Philip Glass and in particular his three -qatsi scores. Perhaps in consequence, occasionally the picture reminded me of Godfrey Reggio's -qatsi films too; for example, sometimes there were montages of shots of buildings (this movie has more of a story, though). Occasionally the film is completely silent.
Sometimes there are words on the screen; some newspapers are glimpsed, a whole page of a book is seen (the page deals with the "disappeared" and the "Mad Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo" in Argentina), and three business-sized cards with fortunes printed on them are seen. One character in the movie is seen mouthing words directly into the camera, but unfortunately I can't even guess what he might have been saying (if anything).
At the moment, this movie is labeled as a "Comedy" on IMDb. Perhaps it was meant as one, but no comedy was particularly evident to me. "Drama" seems more accurate. "Horror" wouldn't particularly fit; despite the roots in Kabinett des Doktor Caligari, Das (1920) and several deaths, it's not really a horror movie.
Peter Gallagher's character works in an office, seated next to his roommate. He has a relationship with Joan Cusack's character. Their apartments are curiously bare, and they sleep on mattresses on the floor. Their boss is taken away by two people with badges. The city they work in has several peculiar homeless people, who are treated poorly by the police. For the rest, I guess you'll just have to try to see it.
I want a copy!
erniesparks25 January 2006
This is the most recent favorite example of a genre I love: coordinated film and score. Others that have moved me a great deal in the past are Fantasia (1940) out of Walt Disney and Alexander Nevsky (1938).I saw The Cabinet of Doctor Ramirez (1991) on PBS TV and loved it instantly. Fortunately, I recorded it onto VHS tape (for my own private viewing), because the film was (as I understand) never released in the USA and I have since failed to find any copy for sale.
The film was conceived principally by Peter Sellars (his first film project, I believe). The sound track is entirely made from the three parts of John Coolidge Adams orchestral work Harmonielehre, with two interpolations of Tibetan Buddhist monk chants and instruments. Obviously the film layout is timed to match the sections of the music. In a certain sense, it is the film that accompanies the music. I think it is all brilliant. Recently I have acquired a CD that includes the Harmonielehre work, and that reminded me to search again for a DVD or VHS copy of the complete film and its sound track. I will keep looking.
----------
music sequence:
Harmonielehre (Harmony Study) parts 1 2 3
chants and instrumental C
1 2 C 1 2 C 3
----------
The film was conceived principally by Peter Sellars (his first film project, I believe). The sound track is entirely made from the three parts of John Coolidge Adams orchestral work Harmonielehre, with two interpolations of Tibetan Buddhist monk chants and instruments. Obviously the film layout is timed to match the sections of the music. In a certain sense, it is the film that accompanies the music. I think it is all brilliant. Recently I have acquired a CD that includes the Harmonielehre work, and that reminded me to search again for a DVD or VHS copy of the complete film and its sound track. I will keep looking.
----------
music sequence:
Harmonielehre (Harmony Study) parts 1 2 3
chants and instrumental C
1 2 C 1 2 C 3
----------
A wonderfully funny and twisted silent film with a great ending.
BladeMan17 May 1999
Any time this movie can be found it must be seen...drop everything you're doing and watch this well-acted/directed silent movie. Cusack is perfect for the part. The film has no hickups in direction, and flows to a perfect ending. I highly recommend it, though it's very very hard to find.
I loved this film...
kal6616 October 2003
I saw the film in 1992 at one of its few screening. It left a powerful impression. It is brilliantly acted and beautifully shot. Joan Cusack proves that she is one of America's most underrated actresses. And I keep wondering why Peter Gallagher isn't doing something better... ah well.
True visual masterpiece!
mrzonki22 May 2007
I've seen this film over 2 years ago, during Cameriimage festival in Lodz. As I know it was the only screening of this movie in Poland. It was the last film showed that day, at about 24, and I was bit exhausted after seeing 4 or 5 other films. Just after the beginning I've fallen asleep, I began to dream, and as I was opening my eyes from time to time, those very bizarre scenes - its strange, heavy tension and surrealistic content - of "Dr.Ramirez" started to mix up with my own fantasies. It was incredible, how powerful it was (it is!!)! The images from "The Cabinet" has got straight into me, into my own intimacy; and became a true element of my perceptual and - at the same time - imaginative, or better - purely visual, conscience. I must sincerely admit, that probably it is still the most influential screening I lived through my whole life! I recommend it to all of you!! See it and gave me a sign if you have a copy ( I'd like to experience it once again).
Pretentious, amateurish experimental film
lor_21 June 2023
My review was written in May 1991 after a screening in the Directors Fortnight of the Cannes Film Festival.
Legit director Peter Sellars' debut film is a pretentious silent feature that resembles a student film out of control. Tedious, often cryptic effort was shot using the old Academy 1.33:1 aspect ratio, making it suitable for public tv.
Using static camera throughout, Sellars begins fairly coherently with morose stockbroker Peter Gallagher witnessing his black co-worker and roommate Gregory Wallace gorily murdered at work by a disgruntled old guy. In a separate incident straight out of "Wall Street", their boss is taken away by undercover agents in handcuffs.
Gallagher's estranged girlfriend Joan Cusack has a weird, traumatic encounter on the street with homeless derelict Mikhail Baryshnikov. She's soon having romantic nightmares about him that seem to come true, climaxing in her falling (apparently fatally) from a bridge.
Baryshnikov is under the power of another derelict, mysterious Ron Vawter, who looks like Italian star Gian Maria Volonte but has a snake-like scar down the middle of his face. Confusing later footage shows Baryshnikov apparently plummeting to his death (and possibly becoming re-animated by Vawter).
Coda resembles a stupid lift form "The Wizard of Oz', as major and minor characters (like cops and the undercover agents) reappear in dual roles at a clinic run by Vawter (sans scar). Baryshinkov and Cuasack's best friend Kate Valk are orderlies there; Cusack and Gallagher are patients.
Sellars finally turns off the music score for a boring 360-degree shot that ends the film on Gallagher, possibly implying that he imagined the whole thing.
Displaying little command of film technique, Sellars fails to organize his material in the rigorous fashion needed to convey information in a silent format. Confusing crosscutting in the middle reels destroys continuity and has scenes contradicting each other.
Though the static compositions are classical, occasional use of skip-frame, time-lapse editing within a shot disrupts the viewer's concentration. Using business card to make doggerel pronouncements (Wallace receives a "You have one day to live" message that comes true) is ridiculous.
John Adams' bombastic symphonic music is the dominant contrast throughout. It veers from the traditional romanticism of a Miklos Rozsa or Bronislau Kaper to the noisy lower-register blasts of John Corigliano's "Altered States" score whenever a horror scene is intended.
David Watkin's visuals are mainly mundane looking like a well-shot 16mm student short. Occasionally romantic tableaux of Cusack clash with the unflattering, no-makeup close-ups she gets.
Despite his top billing, Baryshnikov has little to do in an ill-conceived role that pays homage to the somnambulist of Wiene's classic. Gallagher, often on the phone and looking like he stepped off the set of "Sex, Lies and Videotape", does a decnet job when not encouraged to overact, but Cusack's silent hysteria holds no threat to the memory of classic divas.
David Lynch was listed as the pic's execuitve producer during production, but his name does not appear in the final credits.
Legit director Peter Sellars' debut film is a pretentious silent feature that resembles a student film out of control. Tedious, often cryptic effort was shot using the old Academy 1.33:1 aspect ratio, making it suitable for public tv.
Using static camera throughout, Sellars begins fairly coherently with morose stockbroker Peter Gallagher witnessing his black co-worker and roommate Gregory Wallace gorily murdered at work by a disgruntled old guy. In a separate incident straight out of "Wall Street", their boss is taken away by undercover agents in handcuffs.
Gallagher's estranged girlfriend Joan Cusack has a weird, traumatic encounter on the street with homeless derelict Mikhail Baryshnikov. She's soon having romantic nightmares about him that seem to come true, climaxing in her falling (apparently fatally) from a bridge.
Baryshnikov is under the power of another derelict, mysterious Ron Vawter, who looks like Italian star Gian Maria Volonte but has a snake-like scar down the middle of his face. Confusing later footage shows Baryshnikov apparently plummeting to his death (and possibly becoming re-animated by Vawter).
Coda resembles a stupid lift form "The Wizard of Oz', as major and minor characters (like cops and the undercover agents) reappear in dual roles at a clinic run by Vawter (sans scar). Baryshinkov and Cuasack's best friend Kate Valk are orderlies there; Cusack and Gallagher are patients.
Sellars finally turns off the music score for a boring 360-degree shot that ends the film on Gallagher, possibly implying that he imagined the whole thing.
Displaying little command of film technique, Sellars fails to organize his material in the rigorous fashion needed to convey information in a silent format. Confusing crosscutting in the middle reels destroys continuity and has scenes contradicting each other.
Though the static compositions are classical, occasional use of skip-frame, time-lapse editing within a shot disrupts the viewer's concentration. Using business card to make doggerel pronouncements (Wallace receives a "You have one day to live" message that comes true) is ridiculous.
John Adams' bombastic symphonic music is the dominant contrast throughout. It veers from the traditional romanticism of a Miklos Rozsa or Bronislau Kaper to the noisy lower-register blasts of John Corigliano's "Altered States" score whenever a horror scene is intended.
David Watkin's visuals are mainly mundane looking like a well-shot 16mm student short. Occasionally romantic tableaux of Cusack clash with the unflattering, no-makeup close-ups she gets.
Despite his top billing, Baryshnikov has little to do in an ill-conceived role that pays homage to the somnambulist of Wiene's classic. Gallagher, often on the phone and looking like he stepped off the set of "Sex, Lies and Videotape", does a decnet job when not encouraged to overact, but Cusack's silent hysteria holds no threat to the memory of classic divas.
David Lynch was listed as the pic's execuitve producer during production, but his name does not appear in the final credits.
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