Films you've seen lately

[richardfinegold]

I don’t know if it has been discussed here before, but last night we saw Interlude in Prague. I had never heard of it, but it is a fictional account of Mozart’s stay in Prague during the run of Figaro and his composition of Giovanni. The villain is the local Duke, a Patron of the Arts who is a serial abuser of women and who finally goes to far while raping a soprano with whom W.A.M. had been having a dalliance and inadvertently strangling her. The portrayal of Mozart is a much more believable portrait than the brewing ninny of Amadeus (to be fair, Peter Schaefer meant his character to be an archetype).
The villainous Duke is meant to be the inspiration for the darker side of Don Giovanni, and he is hung at the end (no being dragged off the Hell
here). That made me wonder if there were such checks on the Aristocracy then. Would such a powerful figure be subjected to Capital Punishment then? The woman he murders comes from a family that is a Minor Aristocracy and the Duke’s previous victims had been working class women. At any rate the movies was hugely enjoyable

[Belgrove]

Eric Ravilious: Drawn to War, is a film documentary of the painter’s short life that makes a convincing case for his inclusion as a major figure in the tradition of English landscape painting. His watercolour paintings of the South Downs capture that open rolling landscape in a singular but entirely recognisable way. His woodcuts too are very beautiful. As an official war painter, he served in the early Scandinavian naval campaign, where he painted some remarkable seascapes, and was lost in action at sea when stationed in Iceland, leaving a wife, Tirzah Garwood (herself a talented artist who’s career was tragically cut short) and three young children. Since they were orphaned young, they were unaware their father was an artist, and later discovered many of his paintings stored under a bed! It’s a lovely film. High time Tate Britain mounted a major retrospective.

[gradus]

Eric Ravilious: Drawn to War, is a film documentary of the painter’s short life that makes a convincing case for his inclusion as a major figure in the tradition of English landscape painting. His watercolour paintings of the South Downs capture that open rolling landscape in a singular but entirely recognisable way. His woodcuts too are very beautiful. As an official war painter, he served in the early Scandinavian naval campaign, where he painted some remarkable seascapes, and was lost in action at sea when stationed in Iceland, leaving a wife, Tirzah Garwood (herself a talented artist who’s career was tragically cut short) and three young children. Since they were orphaned young, they were unaware their father was an artist, and later discovered many of his paintings stored under a bed! It’s a lovely film. High time Tate Britain mounted a major retrospective.

High time indeed that all the artists around Great Bardfield were honoured thus.

[Cockney Sparrow]

Eric Ravilious: Drawn to War, is a film documentary of the painter’s short life that makes a convincing case for his inclusion as a major figure in the tradition of English landscape painting. His watercolour paintings of the South Downs capture that open rolling landscape in a singular but entirely recognisable way. His woodcuts too are very beautiful. As an official war painter, he served in the early Scandinavian naval campaign, where he painted some remarkable seascapes, and was lost in action at sea when stationed in Iceland, leaving a wife, Tirzah Garwood (herself a talented artist who’s career was tragically cut short) and three young children. Since they were orphaned young, they were unaware their father was an artist, and later discovered many of his paintings stored under a bed! It’s a lovely film. High time Tate Britain mounted a major retrospective.

Going on Monday, and looking forward to it. Most years I go to the Fry Gallery in Saffron Walden. I also admire Eric Bawden, Ravilious's friend at Great Bardfield and catch up with the annual exhibition (on a theme) of Bawden's work at The Higgns gallery in Bedford. I only became interested in Ravilious when I looked at the catalogue for the Dulwich exhibition at a friend's house - and by then the Ravilious exhibition was over....

[johncorrigan]

Mrs C and I took in the 'Elvis' film last night. Terrific performances from Austin Butler playing the King, and Tom Hanks as the creepy Colonel Tom Parker, channelling, I thought, Henry Potter from 'It's a Wonderful Life', living always in the shadows behind half closed doors. The film concentrated on the lives of these two rather lonely men. Some terrific cameos by people playing Arthur 'Big Boy' Cruddup, Sister Rosetta Tharpe and Big Mama Thornton and particularly a guy doing Little Richard. I didn't know that Elvis knew BB King. It was a bit long for my liking at two and a half hours, and a bit loud in places, but it looked good and was entertaining enough.

[Dave2002]

Brian and Charles - recommended by Mark Kermode - looks stupid as a concept. Actually it is rather good - or maybe I'm just easily convinced. Bits are very funny, but the plot holds up quite well. Will test out MK's thumbs down non-recommendation - Where the Scrawdads Sing next week.

Actually if you believe me - don't watch the trailer - it gives a few too many things away. Keep them as a surprise and go and see it!

[johncorrigan]

Will test out MK's thumbs down non-recommendation - Where the Scrawdads Sing next week.

Mrs C read the book and was very keen to see the film. Good performances in an enjoyable enough film, though the goodies were obviously good and the baddies obviously bad, and the lawyer was sort of Atticus-like etc. For me, the best thing was the scenery, trees and wildlife of North Carolina which looked wonderful. Still not sure what a Crawdad is.

[Nick Armstrong]

Still not sure what a Crawdad is.

It’s regional US slang for crayfish isn’t it?

[johncorrigan]

It’s regional US slang for crayfish isn’t it?

Thanks, Nick. They use the expression early in the film when Kaya's brother advises her to run till she gets to the place where the Crawdads sing if her abusive father goes for her - I thought it was maybe some kind of bird, but it's never referred to again, but I suppose it means run and don't stop; get as far away as possible.

[Nick Armstrong]

Looks like this new film will be worth catching when available:

https://www.theguardian.com/film/2022/sep/01/tar-review-cate-blanchett-is-colossal-as-a-conductor-in-crisis?CMP=twt_a-music_b-gdnclassical

- about an imagined woman principal conductor of the Berlin Phil, played (brilliantly it seems) by Cate Blanchett

[Belgrove]

George Miller’s last film, Mad Max Fury Road, is one of the finest of the past decade, being a distillation of the essence of film making; a silent movie (albeit played at ear-splitting volume) whose story is told almost entirely through startling, violent, but often very beautiful images. His latest, Three Thousand Years of Longing, is just as gorgeous to look at, but occupies an entirely different fantasy world. It’s adapted from the novella, The Djinn in the Nightingale’s Eye by A S Byatt, a kind of meta de- and reconstruction of the Arabian Nights. Tilda Swinton plays an academic whose specialism is the study of myths and the stories that emerge and morph from them. She’s attending a conference in Istanbul, where she uncorks Idris Elba, a djinn in a bottle! She’s granted three wishes (naturally), but knows full well the hazards that attend requesting these, and in testing the djinn as to whether he is benign or malign, learns of his past, told in linked and nested stories akin to the Thousand and One Nights. These cinematic chapters are rendered on the screen in images that teem with opulent detail and sumptuous colour, it really is beguiling and enchanting story telling. And we all love to be told stories; these contain beauties, cruelties, lies and truths. Is it for real? Does everyone live happily ever after? That would be telling…

[RichardB]

Is it for real? Does everyone live happily ever after? That would be telling…

I've been wondering whether to see this film (not having liked the Max Max one very much) but your post has convinced me that I really must.

[johncorrigan]

George Miller’s last film, Mad Max Fury Road, is one of the finest of the past decade, being a distillation of the essence of film making; a silent movie (albeit played at ear-splitting volume) whose story is told almost entirely through startling, violent, but often very beautiful images. His latest, Three Thousand Years of Longing, is just as gorgeous to look at, but occupies an entirely different fantasy world. It’s adapted from the novella, The Djinn in the Nightingale’s Eye by A S Byatt, a kind of meta de- and reconstruction of the Arabian Nights. Tilda Swinton plays an academic whose specialism is the study of myths and the stories that emerge and morph from them. She’s attending a conference in Istanbul, where she uncorks Idris Elba, a djinn in a bottle! She’s granted three wishes (naturally), but knows full well the hazards that attend requesting these, and in testing the djinn as to whether he is benign or malign, learns of his past, told in linked and nested stories akin to the Thousand and One Nights. These cinematic chapters are rendered on the screen in images that teem with opulent detail and sumptuous colour, it really is beguiling and enchanting story telling. And we all love to be told stories; these contain beauties, cruelties, lies and truths. Is it for real? Does everyone live happily ever after? That would be telling…

I haven't seen the Mad Max film you mention, Belgrove; however since your recommendations have generally been very good I thought I would take Mrs C along to '3000 Years of Longing' this afternoon. An excellent story, very well told with a great performance by Tilda Swinton in particular, though Idries Elba was no slouch either. Looked great too. Also it is National Cinema Day, I found out at the box office, which meant three quid each for a ticket ...great Saturday afternoon entertainment. Thanks for the pointer.

[Beresford]

Going on Monday, and looking forward to it. Most years I go to the Fry Gallery in Saffron Walden. I also admire Eric Bawden, Ravilious's friend at Great Bardfield and catch up with the annual exhibition (on a theme) of Bawden's work at The Higgns gallery in Bedford. I only became interested in Ravilious when I looked at the catalogue for the Dulwich exhibition at a friend's house - and by then the Ravilious exhibition was over....

It's Edward Bawden and Eric Ravillious (sorry). I kike them both, and we have a nice engraving by Edward's son, Richard Bawden, who is still living in deepest rural Essex, I think. I agree about a possible Tate retrospective. If David Hockney can have one, so should the Great Barfield group.

Is there anywhere I can now see the film Eric Ravilious: Drawn to War?

[Cockney Sparrow]

It's Edward Bawden and Eric Ravillious (sorry). I kike them both, and we have a nice engraving by Edward's son, Richard Bawden, who is still living in deepest rural Essex, I think. I agree about a possible Tate retrospective. If David Hockney can have one, so should the Great Barfield group.

Is there anywhere I can now see the film Eric Ravilious: Drawn to War?

I expect showings, on the South Bank at the BFI on 5th and 7th September will be no help to you, I'm afraid:

https://whatson.bfi.org.uk/Online/default.asp?BOparam::WScontent::loadArticle::permalink=ericraviliousdrawntowar&BOparam::WScontent::loadArticle::context_id=

I saw it on 11July at my local independent, quite surprised as they tend to show mainstream releases. I suspect the main initial release is over, but if I see it coming out again I will PM you. There needs to be a means of keeping films like this available with some income to be received - streaming, downloading?

I was happy to see the film, but I couldn't say it was a revelation, a fair amount of notable admirers (e.g.Alan Bennett - but not saying anything in great depth - see the trailer) and not that much original information. A good appreciation and a worthy enterprise though.