Post-Elegy
I saw Isbael Coixet's Elegy (Samuel Goldwyn, 8.8) twice before it opened -- once at a screening, again at the Aero theatre --and in so doing told myself and two or three friends that I rather liked it, or at least was okay with it. But I haven't been able to write a darn thing about it. Despite the fine lead performances by Ben Kingsley and Penelope Cruz and the secondary Patricia Clarkson, Peter Sarsgaard, Dennis Hopper, etc. Despite enjoying the upscale pedigree, the obvious intelligence of Nicholas Meyer's screenplay (based on Phillip Roth's "The Dying Animal"), the tasteful nudity, the general atmosphere of cultivation, manicured toenails and older-guy gloom.
Why did I blow it off? Because there was something too glum and quiet and resigned about it -- something overly subdued, sensitive, talky. I enjoyed the quality vibe, I had no real problems with any of it, but it didn't turn me on in the slightest.
And because -- here we go with another shallow thought (and what would this site be without such things on an occasional basis?) -- I didn't like the idea of a fetching 30ish brunette like Cruz going to bed with an old coot like Kingsley. He's too weathered, too nuts (Kingsley will always be Don Logan, and vice versa), his nose has gotten too bulbous with age (it was just the right size when he made Betrayal and Gandhi in the early '80s) and I didn't like the bedroom scene with Clarkson when the camera just sits there and stares at the puffy soles of his white feet and his pushed-together toes for a couple of minutes straight. Call me empty, but that's why more people haven't paid to see it.
Posted by Jeffrey Wells on August 21, 2008 at 2:35 PM
comment #1
cjKennedy says ...
I had the same reaction...I mean up to the point where you started freaking out about Cruz with Kingsley and his feet and whatnot.
I left the theater thinking I'd liked the movie. Even tapped out a rough draft, but it never went anywhere. The longer I'm away from it, the less I'm liking it.
I liked the unplugged version of Kingsley. Cruz was enjoyable as always...but I don't. Maybe it was the feet.
Posted by cjKennedy at August 21, 2008 3:38 PM
comment #2
T. S. Idiot says ...
"Because there was something too glum and quiet and resigned about it -- something a little subdued, sensitive, talky."
Same could be said of Coixet's THE SECRET LIFE OF WORDS, though Ben and Penny are much more interesting than Robbins and Polley.
Posted by T. S. Idiot at August 21, 2008 3:43 PM
comment #3
MikeSchaeferSF says ...
Of course, it's only playing in 6 theaters, maybe that's why more people haven't seen it. But where i saw it in SF, the place was quite packed on a Wednesday night.
Posted by MikeSchaeferSF at August 21, 2008 4:23 PM
comment #4
btwnproductions says ...
Excellent film, but like all movies not for all tastes. See it and decide.
Posted by btwnproductions at August 21, 2008 5:35 PM
comment #5
astrophore says ...
nick meyer. time after time. takes me back to when I was nine years old, watching hbo, turning my face when we see that nice lady's severed arm.
she did nothing wrong. except befriend mary steenburgen. same as ted danson. he still has both arms.
but nick meyer. wrath of khan. 7% solution. nerd porn. he's ok by me.
star trek vi. human stain. man's gotta eat.
but philip roth, hoo-boy, is that a tough cinematic nut to crack. this ain't david baldacci. or even nick sparks. roth's a master, a poet, self-aware, self-loathing. funny as hell, if hell were funny. or even real. hard, hard stuff to adapt.
richard benjamin in goodbye columbus. and portnoy's complaint. christ. but where is paula prentiss now? god, i loved her. black marble. stepford. tall drink of water. what a voice.
still would like to see this elegy. bad title, though. the original not good enough? be pithier next time, phil.
and i should be tired of kingsley, but i'm not. he does overuse that whole "sir" thing. especially after bloodrayne. it's pretentious.
not as pretentious as writing in fragments. in lowercase. but still.
Posted by astrophore at August 21, 2008 6:48 PM
comment #6
LexG says ...
Patricia Clarkson... AGAIN?
Fine actress and all, but kind of getting sick of her 18 indie and supporting roles a year. When did the mopey chick from THE DEAD POOL became the patron queen of Indie Film?
Again, she's always good, but I don't find her inherently dynamic or electrifying, and by now when she shows up, it's usually just a shrug and a "Oh, her again."
Isn't there anyone else they can cast at least a third of the time?
Part of your indifference can also maybe be attributed to FEMALE DIRECTOR SYNDROME, meaning that unfortunate as it may be to observe and opine... a good 75% of films directed by women are visually undistinctive, plain and perfunctory.
Posted by LexG at August 21, 2008 7:31 PM
comment #7
Yves says ...
I wanted to see after catching the trailer a few weeks ago, but once I read the book and saw more of the morning show advertising by Dennis Hopper and others, I lost interest. I'll probably rent it on DVD, but I feel like I've seen it already. I liked the theme better when it was Langella in Unscripted.
Posted by Yves at August 21, 2008 9:23 PM
comment #8
BurmaShave says ...
Haven't seen it yet, but maybe it just gets truer the more you think about it? Especially for men of a certain age?
Posted by BurmaShave at August 21, 2008 11:07 PM
comment #9
btwnproductions says ...
Elegy looks just fine. Why pick on women directors? Lots of male directors don't get much out of their cinematographers, either--or get just what's needed. This is not a fiilm calling out for a glossy, edgy, or flashy look.
And Clarkson is note-perfect here. Her lenghty, indie-rich resume is admirably flab-free. While she works the niches, her peers at or near 50 may prefer bigger money assignments.
Posted by btwnproductions at August 21, 2008 11:33 PM
comment #10
hcat says ...
I would think Kingsley would be a believable older man for Cruz to fall for.
I remember when I saw Mad Dog and Glory because I was hardcore in love with Uma after Dangerous Liasons and Henry and June. DeNiro's a great actor but he was so much older and such a simpy charector that I was revulsed during those love scenes and couldn't enjoy what was actually a nice little movie.
Posted by hcat at August 22, 2008 6:52 AM
comment #11
hcat says ...
And Lex, who are the examples of woman directors that you find visually distinctive? And what percentage of male directors do you find plain and perfunctory?
Posted by hcat at August 22, 2008 6:57 AM
comment #12
JHRussell says ...
Why do you guys spoil movies that have not gone into wide release? Is it some sort of power trip, or what?
It is possible to discuss films (and write reviews) in a manner that does not spoil plots, etc. Clearly once a film has gone into wider release, all is fair, but repeatedly on this site, starting with Jeff, you guys spoil movies that you have seen as part of pre-release promotions limited to the press...
Posted by JHRussell at August 22, 2008 7:33 AM
comment #13
Jean says ...
Women directors w/ visual distinction: Kathryn Bigelow (wish she directed more), Sofia Coppola (not flashy but knows shot composition), Betty Thomas (once again not flashy but has a good sense of pace - her films never drag). Forgive me, I had to IMDB for Julie Dash's name - she directed "Daughters of the Dust" which I always remembered because of the sumptuous visuals in that film - She should be directing WAY more than she has.
Posted by Jean at August 22, 2008 8:47 AM
comment #14
Rob says ...
Julie Taymor's films are pretty gorgeous. Nicole Holofcener's high-def indie productions always look like they cost three times what they actually did.
I thought Elegy was beautifully shot, btw, and had a very distinctive, low-light palate.
Posted by Rob at August 22, 2008 9:08 AM
comment #15
K. Bowen says ...
Jeff,
Watching the trailer, I sensed two quality actors being charged with being attracted to each other, but I didn't sense much real chemistry. Is that the way the film plays?
Posted by K. Bowen at August 22, 2008 9:28 AM
comment #16
Richardson says ...
"what would this site be without [shallow thoughts] on an occasional basis?"
It would be really clean. Completely uncontaminated by posts.
"his nose has gotten too bulbous with age"
In more seriousness, that's the only part that came off as shallow. There's a difference between "all fat people are stupid" and "there's something off-putting about Ben Kingsley and Penelope Cruz having sex".
Posted by Richardson at August 22, 2008 10:19 AM
comment #17
Richardson says ...
"a good 75% of films directed by women are visually undistinctive, plain and perfunctory."
I'm curious about something... Can anybody think of any female cinematographers? I'm sure there must be a few, but I can't think of any.
Posted by Richardson at August 22, 2008 10:21 AM
comment #18
T. S. Idiot says ...
Lisa Rinzler: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0727789
Posted by T. S. Idiot at August 22, 2008 10:25 AM
comment #19
Richardson says ...
TS - her link led me to a documentary of female cinematographers, which reminded me -- Ellen Kuras!
Posted by Richardson at August 22, 2008 10:42 AM
comment #20
Rob says ...
Didn't Ellen Kuras shoot Rebecca Miller's films? There's another low-budget female director whose films always look polished and professional despite very limited resources.
Also - hello! - Mira Nair's films are always beautifully shot.
Posted by Rob at August 22, 2008 11:30 AM
comment #21
Kim Voynar says ...
"Part of your indifference can also maybe be attributed to FEMALE DIRECTOR SYNDROME, meaning that unfortunate as it may be to observe and opine... a good 75% of films directed by women are visually undistinctive, plain and perfunctory."
I think you can say the same thing about 75% of films by male directors; it's not a gender thing, it's lack of originality and vision, coupled with the difficulty of getting anything original made in Hollywood at all.
Ellen Kuras is one of my fave cinematographers. She's shooting Raimi's newest right now, can't wait to see it.
Posted by Kim Voynar at August 22, 2008 11:41 AM
comment #22
shahriar khan
says ...
Thanks for sharing. That is a awesome post. Keep posting.
Elegy
Posted by shahriar khan
at March 8, 2010 9:30 PM