The Fall -- d: Tarsem Singh
05-23-08 | 02:48 PM
#29
DVD Talk Limited Edition
http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/33316/fall-the/
I can't disagree more with this review with regards to the acting comments. I didn't feel the director coaching the girl at all; their scenes played very naturalistic and honest. It felt like they were just talking to each other, not acting through a scene. If you wanna see a child actor acting with too much direction watch something like Home Alone; I can't stand that kind of mimicry.
Obviously, for the rest of the movie you either buy into it or you don't; I bought into it and thought it was engaging and emotional.
I can't disagree more with this review with regards to the acting comments. I didn't feel the director coaching the girl at all; their scenes played very naturalistic and honest. It felt like they were just talking to each other, not acting through a scene. If you wanna see a child actor acting with too much direction watch something like Home Alone; I can't stand that kind of mimicry.
Obviously, for the rest of the movie you either buy into it or you don't; I bought into it and thought it was engaging and emotional.
05-23-08 | 03:47 PM
#30
DVD Talk Ultimate Edition
The L.A. Times' review of The Fall:
I'll pass.
By Marc Olsen, Special to The Times
May 9, 2008
"The Fall" comes with a pre-credit title stating that it is presented by David Fincher and Spike Jonze, presumably compadres of director and co-writer Tarsem Singh (credited only as Tarsem) from the world of commercials and music videos. Where his patrons have both developed a supple, nuanced understanding of narrative, Tarsem seems to have remained interested only in image-making for its own ends. There is never a sense that "The Fall" exists for any reason besides simply being something nice to look at. Yet no matter how good-looking a film may be, if it's as sleep-inducing as this, there's simply no point.
In 1915 Los Angeles, a stuntman (Lee Pace) is paralyzed and passes the time in the hospital by telling an ongoing, improvised yarn to a little immigrant girl (Catinca Untaru) with a broken arm. So there is a story, and a story within the story, as they push and pull between fantasy and reality. Or something like that.
The back story of "The Fall" seems far more interesting and has more dramatic heft than what we're left to look at. The film was shot over a span of four years in 18 countries and does indeed include a rather unique array of striking extant architecture, prefab sets that could likely never be imagined, let alone built on any kind of reasonable budget.
Tarsem underlines the film with truly obnoxious levels of pretentiousness that insist on the pretty pictures as having capital-M meaning, which only brings into sharp relief what a hollow exercise it all really is. Like De Chirico does MTV in the '80s, his ideas of what constitutes "artful" -- mostly consisting of slo-mo, tableau framing, strange costumes and a romanticized exoticism -- seem at best encased in amber and at worst completely regressive. For a film that wants to present itself as extravagantly dazzling, there is something thuddingly familiar and bland in its vision.
May 9, 2008
"The Fall" comes with a pre-credit title stating that it is presented by David Fincher and Spike Jonze, presumably compadres of director and co-writer Tarsem Singh (credited only as Tarsem) from the world of commercials and music videos. Where his patrons have both developed a supple, nuanced understanding of narrative, Tarsem seems to have remained interested only in image-making for its own ends. There is never a sense that "The Fall" exists for any reason besides simply being something nice to look at. Yet no matter how good-looking a film may be, if it's as sleep-inducing as this, there's simply no point.
In 1915 Los Angeles, a stuntman (Lee Pace) is paralyzed and passes the time in the hospital by telling an ongoing, improvised yarn to a little immigrant girl (Catinca Untaru) with a broken arm. So there is a story, and a story within the story, as they push and pull between fantasy and reality. Or something like that.
The back story of "The Fall" seems far more interesting and has more dramatic heft than what we're left to look at. The film was shot over a span of four years in 18 countries and does indeed include a rather unique array of striking extant architecture, prefab sets that could likely never be imagined, let alone built on any kind of reasonable budget.
Tarsem underlines the film with truly obnoxious levels of pretentiousness that insist on the pretty pictures as having capital-M meaning, which only brings into sharp relief what a hollow exercise it all really is. Like De Chirico does MTV in the '80s, his ideas of what constitutes "artful" -- mostly consisting of slo-mo, tableau framing, strange costumes and a romanticized exoticism -- seem at best encased in amber and at worst completely regressive. For a film that wants to present itself as extravagantly dazzling, there is something thuddingly familiar and bland in its vision.
06-02-08 | 01:50 AM
#31
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From: Just South of Nowhere
Just got back from this. Finally a theater with an hour and a half drive to see it. Loved it. I also disagree with the DVDtalk review regarding the acting. That little girl stole my heart she was so endearing. Can't wait for the DVD hopefully cover the rather large back story on its making.
06-02-08 | 09:25 AM
#32
Moderator
Originally Posted by FinkPish
http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/33316/fall-the/
I can't disagree more with this review with regards to the acting comments. I didn't feel the director coaching the girl at all; their scenes played very naturalistic and honest. It felt like they were just talking to each other, not acting through a scene. If you wanna see a child actor acting with too much direction watch something like Home Alone; I can't stand that kind of mimicry.
Obviously, for the rest of the movie you either buy into it or you don't; I bought into it and thought it was engaging and emotional.
I can't disagree more with this review with regards to the acting comments. I didn't feel the director coaching the girl at all; their scenes played very naturalistic and honest. It felt like they were just talking to each other, not acting through a scene. If you wanna see a child actor acting with too much direction watch something like Home Alone; I can't stand that kind of mimicry.
Obviously, for the rest of the movie you either buy into it or you don't; I bought into it and thought it was engaging and emotional.
as for the film, I was floored. thumbs up in my book.
I wasn't in town (last Saturday night) but apparently Tarsem was in town at both Landmark Bethesda and E Street for post screening Q&A's
Last edited by Giles; 06-02-08 at 09:33 AM.
06-02-08 | 10:09 AM
#33
DVD Talk Legend
Originally Posted by Giles
exactly - she acted like herself and as a child would, anything else would have been phoney - I thought she was perfect.
as for the film, I was floored. thumbs up in my book.
I wasn't in town (last Saturday night) but apparently Tarsem was in town at both Landmark Bethesda and E Street for post screening Q&A's
as for the film, I was floored. thumbs up in my book.
I wasn't in town (last Saturday night) but apparently Tarsem was in town at both Landmark Bethesda and E Street for post screening Q&A's
06-02-08 | 10:14 AM
#34
Moderator
Originally Posted by Daytripper
Yeah, NO WAY was that kid being coached. I've never EVER seen a more natural child performance. It was like there were using a hidden camera and the two were just having a conversation. Outstanding work! I loved the film too. Saw it in a crappy theater and on a crappy screen thought (Reston stinkin Town Center). Not my choice, but a friend I saw it with couldn't do any other theater. This will look spectacular on Blu-Ray.
funny you should say that - I literally said to a friend after the film - I am sooo buying this on bluray. Unlike what some critics have said, I thought both the imagery and the characters were intriguing.
Last edited by Giles; 06-02-08 at 10:20 AM.
06-05-08 | 10:50 PM
#37
DVD Talk Legend
I finally got to see this and I loved it! The little girl was great-not annoying at all but very natural and adorable. Lee Pace is excellent, too.
I was surprised at the amount of humor in the movie. I loved Darwin's introduction.
I'll probably have to go back and see this again soon.
I was surprised at the amount of humor in the movie. I loved Darwin's introduction.
I'll probably have to go back and see this again soon.
06-06-08 | 03:24 AM
#39
Banned by request
Saw this tonight. Absolutely loved it. The little girl was fantastic, and I loved the way Tarsem interwove the story with the reality. This is the movie I expected to see when I first saw Pan's Labyrinth. Of course, I love Pan's Labyrinth for what it is, but the trailers made it seem more like the kind of mix of fantasy and reality that The Fall was.
06-08-08 | 06:56 PM
#42
DVD Talk Hero
Originally Posted by troystiffler
Any updates on release dates? Ebert's column left me wating to see it.
06-08-08 | 07:27 PM
#43
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From: Seattle, WA
On the plus side, Lionsgate is apparently handling the DVD release, so that bodes well for a high-def version, as well. Not all of us are privileged to live in areas that get limited release films, so I'm hoping for the best possible presentation on disc.
06-08-08 | 09:06 PM
#45
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From: Formerly known as "Jeffy Pop"/Denver
Saw this yesterday and loved it. So far it's my favorite movie of this year. Anyone who passes on this because of a few negative reviews is missing out on one of the most gorgeous films ever made. Really wonderful stuff.
06-08-08 | 10:12 PM
#46
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From: Wynnewood, PA/Philadelphia, PA
My indie theatre doesn't even have The Fall, which is really disappointing. I'd have to go to Philly (35 minutes to center city) to see it, which I'm not doing. I really want to see this too.
06-09-08 | 12:21 AM
#47
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From: CALI!
Originally Posted by jPoD_TGN
My indie theatre doesn't even have The Fall, which is really disappointing. I'd have to go to Philly (35 minutes to center city) to see it, which I'm not doing. I really want to see this too.
06-09-08 | 12:47 AM
#48
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From: Wynnewood, PA/Philadelphia, PA
Originally Posted by Arpeggi
This film is certainly worth the 35 mins drive; it has to be seen on the big screen.
06-09-08 | 09:41 AM
#49
DVD Talk Gold Edition
Finally saw it and loved it. My favorite film so far this year. I liken it more to The Princess Bride in terms of it's narrative/fairy-tale structure. It's darker though and deals with more real world issues. Tarsem was smart to keep the story so simple. I don't see how it was pretentious at all. It had a wonderful and surprising sense of humour. Which really kept the film from thinking too much of itself.
06-09-08 | 11:12 AM
#50
DVD Talk Hero
I saw it, enjoyed the visuals from the amazing locations/scenery and in-camera effects (CGI was only used sparringly to clean up some shots in post), and the use of natural light cinematography and the interesting angles. Director Tarsem does a lot with a little with his penchant for visual flair in filmmaking over the course of many years in making this film.
The story itself lacked a little narrative weight for me to invest as fully as I had hoped in the main characters Roy and Alexandria who meet as patients in a hospital in 1915. Roy (Lee Pace, then unknown, but has found steady work of late as an actor) is injured and paralyzed in the lower extremities, and Alexandria has a broken arm, both of them suffered their injuries from a fall (one of many nods to the film's title). The performance of Alexandria, played by 5 year old (at the time) Catinca Untaru, is really endearing, and captured well, as the passage of time has a way of layering on bits of self-awareness that would have made her performance a little too self-aware had she had been older in the role.
It can be a polarizing film, but I did admire the attempt to create a somewhat timeless look to the film that can be appreciated ten, twenty years in the future without it losing a sense of it being dated or a project found in a time capsule.
I give it 3 stars or a grade of B.
P.S. From what I've read so far, I think the making of this film would be the subject of a very interesting documentary as well.
The story itself lacked a little narrative weight for me to invest as fully as I had hoped in the main characters Roy and Alexandria who meet as patients in a hospital in 1915. Roy (Lee Pace, then unknown, but has found steady work of late as an actor) is injured and paralyzed in the lower extremities, and Alexandria has a broken arm, both of them suffered their injuries from a fall (one of many nods to the film's title). The performance of Alexandria, played by 5 year old (at the time) Catinca Untaru, is really endearing, and captured well, as the passage of time has a way of layering on bits of self-awareness that would have made her performance a little too self-aware had she had been older in the role.
It can be a polarizing film, but I did admire the attempt to create a somewhat timeless look to the film that can be appreciated ten, twenty years in the future without it losing a sense of it being dated or a project found in a time capsule.
I give it 3 stars or a grade of B.
P.S. From what I've read so far, I think the making of this film would be the subject of a very interesting documentary as well.