A doctor is sent to meet an excentric rich widower, whose son recently was killed in Italy, in the hope that she endow a hospital with much needed funds. She wishes, however, that the doctor urgently perform a lobotomy on her niece, whom she argues is insane. It transpires that the niece knows a good deal about the events of her son's death than her aunt desires.
Playing the role of docotor-psychologist-detective, the surgeon investigates.
The film dates very badly in all respects: the psychological "theories" underpinning the work, the melodrama, and the florid speeches are all uncomfortable and often boring.
The actors all seem to have adopted different styles, from a sort of camp melodrama on the part of Hepburn, to Clift's much more naturalistic approach. The theatrical staging, including the denouement, is laughably corney, and it's unclear what the film is really for.
Elizabeth Taylor's waist is extraordinarily thin. For this, 3 points.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Beiramar Avenue from the mall; square format paintings
*
Beiramar Avenue from the mall, oil on card, 10.5 x 10.5 cm - discarded
The square format was extensively explored by Klimt, often using- to my mind, somewhat mannered art noveau compositions. There are also a good clutch of very nearly square pictures by Hammershoi, the Danish genius.
The square format is symmetrical across 4 axes, and consequently a very stable form (I might speculate that Hammershoi did not use the perfect square because he was interested in maintaining a definate visual instability in his work).
It invites a sense of flotation, of hovering: I am not clear why. Could it be because, while a rectangular format invites a horizontal .linear reading, when confronted with a square, thes eye tends to meander and circle more within much more narrow bounds inside the frame?
*
Lars and the Real Girl (2007): review: 9.5/10
In a small town in Ontario, a socialy reclusive man develops a relationship with a plastic doll.
The comical elements, which fold around how the community of the Lutheran town collude with his fantasy, lead to psychological insights.
The film is elegant and moving, with excellent performances throughout.
Was the author influenced by Kafka's short stories, perhaps?
The comical elements, which fold around how the community of the Lutheran town collude with his fantasy, lead to psychological insights.
The film is elegant and moving, with excellent performances throughout.
Was the author influenced by Kafka's short stories, perhaps?
Blue Valentine (2010): review: 7.5/10
The charmed early romantic meeting of a removal man and a student are contrasted with torrid scenes depicting the decline of the relationship.
The film does not describe why their relationship could not be sustained.
The acting in the film is very alive. The girl is the courted- passive, later judgmental, he is the suitor, becoming angry when she rejects him.
The film is overlong and less purposeful than it needs to be, lacking a central message.
The film does not describe why their relationship could not be sustained.
The acting in the film is very alive. The girl is the courted- passive, later judgmental, he is the suitor, becoming angry when she rejects him.
The film is overlong and less purposeful than it needs to be, lacking a central message.
Wristcutters: A Love Story (2006): review: 4/10
A road movie in which three characters wander through a Post-suicidal purgorory which is a joyless post-industrial landscape.
The film is on the edge of being very good, but there is something not quite right about it.
This is connected to the lack of depth of the acting, and a certain drowsyness to it all.The drowsyness comes from the film not exploring the central and obvious question of why they committed suicide and from the fact that the central imaginative premise of a post-suicidal world which so utterly resembles the real world is hard to acccept.
Tom Waits appears, but his acting is stilted and his fuction unclear., The film contains an absurdist element, but it doesn't carry forward because there is such lack of compulsion to the character's car trip.
The film is on the edge of being very good, but there is something not quite right about it.
This is connected to the lack of depth of the acting, and a certain drowsyness to it all.The drowsyness comes from the film not exploring the central and obvious question of why they committed suicide and from the fact that the central imaginative premise of a post-suicidal world which so utterly resembles the real world is hard to acccept.
Tom Waits appears, but his acting is stilted and his fuction unclear., The film contains an absurdist element, but it doesn't carry forward because there is such lack of compulsion to the character's car trip.
Saturday, January 29, 2011
From Beiramar Shopping mall
*
From Beiramar Shopping mall, oil on card, 13.7 x 9.9 cm- available
This is a great place to work with views of the sea on one side, and various roads and houses on others.
Friday, January 28, 2011
A yellow boat
A yellow boat, oil on card, 15.2 x 10.2 cm SOLD
As I was painting I kept thinking of van Gogh's famous fishing boats on the beach, then of Puvis de Chavanne's "Poor Fisherman" picture. I looked these up and they are not really similar to mine, nor is Redon's "Yellow Boat".
I carry memories of pictures, and they serve as inspiration, but when I look them up after having painted I find my memories to be totally erroneous.
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