The Conical Glass: Two Freaky Films

Sunday, November 05, 2006

Two Freaky Films

I don't like scary movies; if something has too much violence or gore, I'll stay home. However, while it's pretty easy to avoid, say, "Saw III" or "The Hills Have Eyes," it's sometimes impossible to tell if a film will wind up giving me nightmares.

"The Prestige" is one of the most disturbing films I've ever seen. I'm not sorry I saw it, exactly, because it's very well made and interesting, and I always enjoy films set in that turn of the (last) century time period. But there are things in this movie that freaked me the hell out. If you think "The Sixth Sense" had plot twists, you ain't seen nothing yet; "The Prestige" has plot twists on top of plot twists. It concerns two rival magicians in London, one played by Christian Bale, the other by Hugh Jackman. I really like Jackman (he was Wolverine, after all!), whereas Bale has that vole-like quality I so dislike in Tom Cruise, so I developed a rooting interest in the Jackman character, Robert Angier. Let's just say that by the end of the movie, any sympathy you might have had for either of these fellows is long gone. If you want to see something truly creepy, I strongly recommend "The Prestige"; if you want something with more conventional heroes & villains that is set in a similar milieu, well, "The Illusionist" is still playing in a bunch of theaters. I had a better time at "The Illusionist," but I'll never forget "The Prestige."

The new movie "Fur: An Imaginary Portrait of Diane Arbus" is an origin story: how did a 35-year-old woman from a wealthy family, working as her husband's assistant as he photographs fashion models for newspaper ads, suddenly become one of the greatest artists of the 20th century? Director Steven Shainberg was intrigued by Patricia Bosworth's biography of Arbus, and decided to spin his own fictional tale of what inspired her to pick up a camera. Unexpectedly, "Fur" morphs into a retelling of "Beauty and the Beast," starring Nicole Kidman and a very hairy Robert Downey Jr.

Downey plays the mysterious man who moves into the apartment above the Arbuses; he has an unusual condition that makes him look like a member of the Chewbacca clan. He pals around with a group of carnival freaks, and introduces Diane to his world (and to the future subjects of her famous photos).

I admire Shainberg for wanting to go beyond the conventional biopic, but it's doubtful that fans of Arbus will be satisfied with this film, since the scenario is made up and the movie ends before Arbus actually begins taking pictures; one of the last shots is of a blank photo album, one which will, presumably, soon be filled with her work. Who, then, is this movie aimed at? Based on some of the things that happen in it, I suspect it will become a hit with anyone who has a fur fetish (hey, those people are out there; remember that "CSI" episode a few years back?). Otherwise, it's doubtful many filmgoers will be captivated by "Fur."

posted by 125records @ 10:56 PM

2 Comments:

At 11:20 PM, Tim Walters said…

I liked The Prestige a lot, but it was very weird for me because the book is one of my favorites, and almost none of it is in the movie. My line was going to be that they filmed the blurb, but I checked and even that is contradicted by the film.

The characters are more sympathetic in the book--the feud is based on escalating misunderstandings rather than tragedy, and in fact none of the film's guignol is there. Instead of plot twists you have dueling unreliable narrator action. But it's actually creepier than the film in some ways (the side effects of Tesla's invention are rather different).
At 1:51 PM, Cult of James said…

Sue, you should really read the novel. I loved it -- and Tim is right: The ending of it is one of the eeriest things I've ever read. I was sort of glad they didn't put it in the movie because I think I would have been really disturbed to actually see it. Imagining it in my mind's eye was quite enough!