Now of course, 'the fog' is certainly not my most favorite thing about such a brilliant movie, but it is certainly a succulent and mouth-watering treat, one that makes you drool inside . . . like a rich creamy chocolate or the delicious cherry on the top on an ice cream sunday. Your heart skips a beat when you realize you will be enjoying this unexpected pleasure, and sigh with satisfaction and gratitude upon consumption of this tasty morsel. However, more to the point of this post, this experience put me in mind of several other times when I've fallen in love with movies because of their appeal to the cinematographically gluttonous. On several occasions I have suggest some to people (namely my dad) what I describe as some 'very slow' films, that have sustained me all the way through to their conclusions with their sheer dazzling beauty. Others (for example, my dad) without my appreciation for these feats of masterful filmic gorgeousness do not fair so well. It seems, as I've been told, not everyone can sit through them which is a pity because most of the films turn out to be beautiful in the emotional, narrative and just overall sense as well.
However, still basking in the afterglow of The Prestige fog, I feel the impulse to celebrate a few of these films. In an expression of my love for them, I hereby provide a few of my guilty pleasures:
The Assassinatio
n of Jesse James:The story of this film moves REALLY slowly, slow enough you can easily lose interest in it. But what is great about this is that it gives you plenty of time to gaze at the amazing images, patinas, textures, and spaces that parade past you on the screen. This is one of the few films that most accurately captures the grandeur and sheer bigness of the American western landscapes, which is quite an accomplishment and quite an experience. This film is also peopled with GREAT performances, especially from Casey Affleck and Sam Rockwell.
The English Patient
This movie spawned my love for Anthony Minghella. We should all love him, if for nothing more than the unabashedly bloody gorgeousness of this film. Although a notorious cry-baby when it comes to dramatic films of any sort, I found myself uncontrollably sobbing during this film, not because I was particularly moved by the tragic fate of any of the rather unlikable characters, but more so because of the overwhelming power of the images. See this film and weep openly at its beauty. I dare not even include here a screen capture of a tragic scene at the end of the film, one of the most exquisite examples of its cinematography, because I do not wish to deny anyone the rapturous experience of uncovering it for themselves. This trailer is a little obnoxious, but may it whet your visual appetites.
Enchanted April
Another slow slow film. But its visuals have a magic ability to really fill your heart with love and warmth. Appallingly little happens in this film. And yet what a wizzbang experience! As the characters scurry off to Italy in a mad bid to get away from it all, they find everything! I don't know what it is about this film, but watching it was one of the most vicariously real cinematic experiences I've ever had. When the characters plod through rainy city streets and float around their loveless homes, the audience can feel the cold, dampness that is slowly killing their souls. But as Lottie, Rose and company feel their hearts refilling with life, warmth and love, so does the audience. One can really feel the warm sunshine as Caroline recuperates in the sun, and one's heart glows at Rose's delicate pre-Raphaelite beauty and Lottie's soft harmony with the pastoral landscape around her. The beauty of this film leaves you warm, snuggley, relaxed and with a rekindled love of life.
I could not find a satisfactory trailer, so here is a segment from the film. Skip ahead to 1:00 for the good bits.
Days of Heaven
Really really slow film number 4! This film is similar cinematographically to the aforementioned Assassination of Jesse James, but its narrative is much more expertly constructed. And its visuals are superb, striving to capture the beauty of the Texas panhandle and the grasslands--- in which is emphatically succeeds. Its beauty is only heightened by the quiet, silent nature of its characters and story, letting things unfold with an earthly, peaceful authenticity. If the fog in The Prestige was a tasty treat, this film is a candyland heaven of nonstop visual delights! Director Terrence Malick is said to have been striving to create essentially a silent film, and its silence and slowness give the film's beauty the perfect framing its needs to make it a mind-blowingly visual experience. Aside from Assassination's more dramatic imagery, this is the only other film I have seen that truly approaches consistently capturing the majesty of the American western landscape. (Sam Shepard's performance in this is also something not to miss.)
Apologies for the annoying voice over again.
Girl with a Pearl Earring
This a film about painting, so rather unsurprisingly it is lovely to look at. As the narrative delves into the life of Vermeer, the imagery strives to live up to his artistic standards. Color and lighting fill the movie with painterly visuals, and costume and makeup follow suit. The artistry of both the story and the images carries the audience away. Scarlett Johansson and Colin Firth's understated performances mesh well with this aesthetic. It is also quite enjoyable to see Cillian Murphy's small role as the butcher boy.
Heavenly Creatures
This film would not put people off with the slowness of the previously mentioned films. Rather, its creepy and horrific content seems to promise to disturb and unsettle its audience. However, it really is carefully constructed to give you a unique and creative view into something so unsavory, and this is a remarkable experience that one should try to take advantage of if one can. An additional pleasure to the overall genius of this film is Peter Jackson's masterful and imaginative visuals. They are filled with beauty, emotion and meaning, and truly make the film what it is.
The Tudors
This of course is much more popular and well-known than probably anything else on this list, but I could not help but mention it. Despite its rather considerable creative license it takes with history and its raunchy oversexed inclinations, the cinematography on this show is fantastic. It does things with color and darkness that few television shows do and sets it at a visual standard few television shows bother even to consider. I myself can watch the opening credit sequence over and over again, which not only showcases the amazing visual excellence of the film's artistic design and photography but also features some darn great editing. Maria Doyle Kennedy and Jeremy Northam look particularly gorgeous in my opinion. Try to ignore its obsession with carefully lit fragments of women's bodies, and embrace the music which is also brilliant.
The Fall
I do not really know what to say about this film. It rather speaks for itself. Unlike most of the other films I've listed, it is pretty dramatic, engrossing and exciting. It features an onslaught of beautiful, creative and mesmerizing imagery coupled with two fantastic lead performances. Just watch the trailer and you will see what I mean.
These are my top picks! If I think of anymore I will be sure to let you know!
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