The Line, the Cross & the Curve (1993) User Reviews

Will appeal to Kate Bush fans.

[Scott-4 · 9/10 · 15 October 1998]

This film actually consists of music videos for the songs from Kate Bush's album "The Red Shoes" joined together with common characters and a plot. There is a lot of imagery and symbolism. Many of the images seem to be inspired by "The Wizard of Oz".

There are a couple of serious flaws here. Kate Bush does not appear to be comfortable in the role, and her acting is quite poor. Since she has been directing and acting in music videos since the 70's, it is disappointing that this is not her best work.

Miranda Richardson and Lindsay Kemp are wonderful and help the film along a great deal. The quality of costumes and special effects varies from excellent to horrible. In one scene, Kate's legs are possessed by the dancing red shoes and are actually a different person's legs. It looks fake, and it is puzzling if this is intended to be humor or simply poor quality.

The bottom line is that this film will appeal to Kate Bush fans because they (we) are very devoted. Fans are also aware of the deaths that occurred in her personal life that are symbolized in the film. But "The Line, the Cross, and the Curve" will never achieve the status of Pink Floyd's "The Wall" or anything like that.

Wow

[motbofres · 15 July 2001]

If you are truly a fan, you will love it... It is of course quite mad, but utterly wonderful at the same time. It provides wonderful images to the music that, if you are watching this, the chances are you have heard over and over and over. The whole thing is a complete contradiction. It looks cheap and expensive, it is fantastic and yet grounded in a set somewhere in London. Most of all, it is flawed but completely flawless. Perhaps you need to talk yourself round to the idea that its brilliant, but its worth it if you do. Kate Bush the actress is as unconventional as the singer...naysayers will just say shes no good, but the Fan will see the passion instead of the (lack of) polish. The whole thing has a peculiarly British feel of enthusiasm-in-spite-of-budgetary-restrictions about it which fans should and will get carried away with. But it is also infused with magic and fantasy, in a way that more than compensates...it is not like other films; it doesn't look like other films, it doesn't have a plot like other films so it is pointless getting hung up on the fact that it doesn't. Just run with it. This, it has to be said, is a pretty awful review, but then I hope that the rambling, wafflish nature will make it clear just how Kate Bush can reduce her fans to an awe-struck stupor and that one of the key pleasures of this film, however superficial a pleasure it may be, is the smug satisfaction that non-fans just won't get it...

If you "let the weirdness in" you will love this short film!

[kundavega · 10/10 · 11 July 2003]

Probably one of the most quirky and campy videos I have ever seen. Full of beautiful imagery and strange humour. Kate is brilliant in her weirdness! I could watch this over and over and never get bored. Kind of reminds me of a Harlan Ellison comic or story come to life in beautiful color. Kate's acting ability is not Oscar worthy, but it works really well here. Miranda Richardson is phenomenal as is Lindsey Kemp. Aside from all of the film aspects, we cannot forget the incredible music where Kate's genius shines like a million suns. Definite two thumbs up and if you are a Kate fan you simply must own it :)

"And this curve, is your smile. And this cross, is your heart. And this line, is your path."

[antony-15 · 10/10 · 10 June 2001]

This is Kate Bush at her best. Any Kate Bush fan will admit that most of her earlier videos (see "KATE BUSH: THE SINGLE FILE" (1983)), are basically Kate showing her unique way of dancing, but this video is where she really excels herself. Kate is practising to record her video of the 1993 single "Rubberband Girl", which is cut short when there's a power cut. When everyone has left, Kate is confronted by a strange woman who comes through the mirror (!), and begs Kate to help her get home - in return, she will give Kate her beautiful red ballet shoes. Kate accepts, but soon regrets when she herself is taken into the world inside the mirror - the woman double crossed her, because the shoes are eternal - the never stop dancing! The film then shows Kate trying to get home, while she sings some A+ songs like "Moments of Pleasure", the previously mentioned top-ten hit "Rubberband Girl", and "The Red Shoes", also the name of the album the video coincides with. Kate's acting may not be Oscar standard, but her ethereal beauty, the excellent music and the obvious fun she is having make you forget about that and enjoy the ride, and the acting is pretty good for a first performance. This is a fantastic idea, and should be adopted by more singers. Should appeal to ALL Kate Bush fans, music fans in general, and fans of films such as "WIZARD OF OZ" and "THE RED SHOES". Hopefully Kate will do this again if she does record another album! 10/10 :-)!

Great music, shame Kate can't act!

[liz.burrow · 10/10 · 25 November 2000]

Lovely to see this film during its short cinematic release in Poole Dorset. We had the pleasure of also seeing Kate's short filmlet Cloudbusting with this. Miranda Richardson is the only shining light, acting wise, although the music is glorious. Eat the music is my highlight, with Kate running through squishy fruit, and gradually getting whipped up into a frenzy, and eventually managing to reclaim the line, cross and curve (path heart and smile) needed to escape the trap that Miranda set for her. The tunnel sequence I believe, was shot in a disused section of the London Underground. Come back to us soon Kate, but PLEASE get some acting practice in first ;)

Iffy

[trgz · 4/10 · 5 December 2010]

I'm just bouncing all my old VHSs to DVD to save space and was watching this during the process and began to remember how uncomfortable I felt each time I watched it. Yes it has some excellent music, though most Kate fans will concur that it it's not her best material by far, but her acting is so cringe-worthy it makes Bowie look good. I don't want to put too much of a downer on it, as any self-respecting KB fan should watch it, but it's not just Kate's acting that's a bit iffy as many of the supporting roles and the screenplay are unexciting at best. As a device to link together some reasonably good videos it just about works but I think I may do a version that skips out the storyline entirely.

FYI her best performance was in the Comic Strip episode 'Les Dogs' though I can't recall if she says that much. She's still gorgeous and is almost without doubt the most significant female singer-songwriter in the history of modern music.

raw genius

[iedsri · 27 August 2005]

Kate Bush's longtime fans know that it's a mistake to expect conventional music from her (as everyone will be able to verify in the fall of 2005, when her first album in more than 12 years is scheduled to be released at last). It would be just as much a mistake to expect conventional film-making from her. Bush's music is often accessible, but don't look for linear narrative, expository dialog, establishing shots or even consistent angle of view. Kate Bush tells stories not directly, not rationally -- in other words, not from a distance. Rather, she lets her viewers experience her characters' situations from within the vertigo they themselves are experiencing. For example, during the section featuring the song "Moments of Pleasure," there are extended twirling shots done not for want of imagination (Kate Bush lacking imagination?!) but to reach intended expressive and dramatic ends while simultaneously paying tribute to past cinematic models (the most direct references are to the 1948 classic 'The Red Shoes,' by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, the former of whom Bush befriended shortly before his death in 1990 and in honor of whom her attendant album of 1993 was named). When the camera twirls again at several other key points in the film, it becomes clear that camera movement has emerged as a new tool in Kate's rich, thematic symbol-language (the title refers to three slips of paper, each featuring a visual symbol, all fluttering in constant motion throughout the film). Likewise the lighting, costumes, sets, choreography, and dialog insinuate themselves impressionistically, subtly, allusively -- pointing the viewer gently toward unanswered questions, hiding within the glorious folds of Bush's musical cloak-of-many-colors. There is profound organized thinking in every frame of The Line, the Cross and the Curve, but it doesn't appear at first viewing. Fortunately, you don't need to look for clarity to appreciate Kate Bush's art: there's plenty of sheer entertainment value to be had found in the sublime riot of raw genius.

Kate Bush: Female Genius At Work (re:Line,Cross,&The Curve)

[ronaldwvaughan · 8 December 2006]

Saw this movie at the NuArt (West L.A.) theater in California some time ago.

Just want to add how much I myself enjoyed the work of this artist.

Though KATE BUSH supposedly downplays her own creation as "not her best work" this film,nonetheless,DOES have substantial merit.

"The Line,The Cross,and the Curve" delves into the archetypical and down into the roots of human life itself.

Something like an ordinary Everyman (or,in this case,an Everywoman) drawn into extraordinary situations. That's the kind of storytelling genius that the late Alfred Hitchcock used to use.

From being plucked from her musician life into a nightmarish purgatory and then being rescued by the forces of nature and good.....this is part of the adventure.

My favorite part of the film is when Kate's character is chasing the evil witch-character....a chase through all Eternity but Good triumphs over Evil. And Evil is put back in its place where it belongs.

Really a shame,that this film was not released theatrically in more places. Because, it needs to be seen on the big screen for full effect.

some great visuals...

[DMac · 17 November 1998]

Some of the photography and such are very good in this, but Kate's lack of acting ability is apparent and startling in this -- much more so than was evident in her earlier videos.