Eastern Promises (2007)

A few weeks back, the theme for Thursday Movie Picks —a series hosted by Wandering Through the Shelves— was gangsters and David Cronenberg's Eastern Promises was one of the most popular titles. Since I like Cronenberg and Viggo Mortensen (and his full-frontal nudity), I checked it out.

The film revolves around the London Russian mafia and centres around the death of Tatiana (Sarah-Jeanne Labrosse), a fourteen-year-old girl who died in childbirth. Midwife Anna (Naomi Watts) finds her diary and decides to find the girl's family so that the newborn can live with them. She asks her Russian uncle (Jerzy Skolimowski) to translate the diary for her; in the meantime, she follows the trail of a business card found in the diary, and she winds up at a Russian restaurant owned by Semyon (Armin Mueller-Stahl) who promises to help her to translate the diary from Russian to English. Little does she knows Semyon is the mob's leader and his family is involved in Tatiana's death. 

It's a very thin, simple and predictable plot so much so that you can predict what is going to happen next for most of the film's running time. The twists aren't twists as we are told about them when convenient instead of being shown them. The ending, easily the worst part of it, just doesn't feel right with the rest of the story and was a huge let down. 

The plot, however, isn't that important in Eastern Promises as Cronenberg is far more interested in the characters than he is in telling a memorable story, and he does a wonderful job at creating believable characters the viewers care about —whether they are good or evil, likeable or not, they are living and breathing beings and as such we connect with them. Naomi Watts's Anna is too naive and clichéd though. 

By far the most compelling aspect of the film is the acting. Viggo Mortensen gives one of his best performances in the role of Nikolai Luzhin, a very mysterious, intelligent and ambitious man who serves both as a driver and a cleaner for Semyon. He is so intense and menacing and yet he plays the character in a way that you are attracted to him. Vincent Cassel, although his accent did not convince me at all, is also terrific as Kirill, the alcoholic and sexually repressed son of Semyon who is constantly trying to live up to his father's criminal expectations. Armin Mueller-Stahl is sublime as Semyon as he manages to deliver the good and the evil man through his eyes, both at the same time. At last, Naomi Watts gives an underrated performance as Anna, as she manages to be vulnerable and tenacious at the same time. 

Focus Features

Eastern Promises is also visually interesting as the cinematography provides an authentic atmosphere, and so does the production design, and the editing is excellent. There also are some scenes, very violent and filled with gore, that definitely aren't for everyone but add to the film's authenticity.

Despite this, the film didn't quite work for me. I guess it was the lack of tension throughout the film or of a compelling story, but I just found it a dull. I'm not sure I would have kept watching if it wasn't for the excellent cast.

PODCAST 329: The Fly & The Fly 2 [All Mixed Up Edition]

This week the Horror Duo chat about yet another classic sci-fi/horror flick and it's more contemporary remake. Forest covers The Fly, about teleportation and transformation. And Cory shares his thoughts on the sequel, of the 1986 remake, The Fly 2 - which just may be the very first remake of a sequel, maybe?

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PODCAST 307: The Brood & Mama [Mother's Day Edition]

This week the Horror Duo take a look at a pair of films about motherhood, in time for Mother's Day. Forest discusses David Cronenberg's disturbing The Brood. Cory takes a look at a more recent ghost story, Mama, starring Jessica Chastain.

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Cosmopolis (2012)

Genre

Drama

Director

David Cronenberg

Country

USA

Cast

Robert Pattinson, Sarah Gadon, Paul Giamatti, Samantha Morton, Matthieu Amalric, Juliette Binoche, Jay Barucel, Kevin Durand, Philip Nozuka, K'naan, Emily Hampshire, Patricia McKenzie

Storyline

28-year-old billionaire Eric Packer (Robert Pattinson) is riding across Manhattan in a limo just to get a haircut. This simple quest, however, develops into an odyssey as the people he meets start to tear his world apart.

Opinion

Although I wasn't very fond of A Dangerous Method (I had to watch it in multiple sittings, and I did that only because of Michael Fassbender), I usually like Cronenberg's films. They are both fascinating and terrifying. And thought-provoking. And hard to sit through. Well, Cosmopolis as well was pretty hard to sit through, the reason being it was dreadfully tedious. Pretty much like A Dangerous Method.

There isn't much of a plot - the poor (so to speak) guy only wanted to get a freaking haircut, he only picked the wrong day. And by the way, who, in a day of protest, would go to a dangerous neighbourhood on the other side of the city only to get a haircut? -, there are just a lot of things happening at random that don't make a lot of sense.

I would have gladly passed over it if the script had more to offer. But unfortunately, that isn't the case. Although the dialogue is interesting, weird, quite complex, makes sense, way more sense of the events taking place, and alone manages to handle plenty of contemporary issues such as solitude, alienation, capitalism, technology, power, sex and many others, the characters are shallow, to say the least. They can't even be called characters since they are just some famous actors appeared out of nowhere to have a deep and meaningful conversation with Robert Pattinson. I would have probably enjoyed more a Robert Pattinson's monologue, also because there wasn't much of a debate between him and the people.

And that brings me to one of the few things I was able to appreciate about Cosmopolis, Robert Pattinson (thank God, I'd add, because he's the reason I decided to watch it in the first place). He carries the role beautifully, delivering each line of dialogue to perfection and some humour as well. Among the other famous people, Sarah Gadon deserves a mention for playing Pattinson's wife Elise. The character is pretty shallow but she gives a solid performance and their sexual tension is up to the roof.

At last, the visuals. The film is simply gorgeous to look at. The dream-like photography is stunning, the limousine setting is very claustrophobic.

The Fly (1986)

Genre

Horror | Sci-Fi

Director

David Cronenberg

Country

USA

Cast

Jeff Goldblum, Geena Davis, John Getz, Joy Boushel, Leslie Carlson, George Chuvalo, David Cronenberg

Storyline

Brilliant and eccentric scientist Seth Brundle (Jeff Goldblum) is working on teleportation, but just when he thinks he's ironed out the last bug in the system, one of his experiments goes horribly wrong.

Opinion

I've seen this film for the first and only time when I was a kid - yes, my mother thought and still thinks today that it was okay for me and my brother to watch this when we weren't even ten - and never watch it again, not that I didn't like it - to be honest I loved it - I just wanted to watch new movies. I'm glad I rewatched it now that I'm fully grown because now I'm able to understand the film and appreciate the genius behind it, David Cronenberg.

But let's get into the review. "The Fly" is a fascinating, superb yet terrifying and disturbing film that is arguably one of the best horror films ever made.

Unlike what it may sounds like, the story isn't a dumb horror-creature story, but a brilliant, engaging and disgusting science fiction tale of a man whose body slowly transforms into a fly. But it's also a tragic and emotional love story.

The main character's metamorphosis is surprising and frightening at the same time, and generates suspense as well as will have you having both feelings of disgust and compassion towards the character. And it is fascinating because his body starts to metamorphose not into a fly, but into a hybrid, half a human half a fly. 

Kafka's influence in this is pretty evident - Seth Brundle, the main character, is literally going through a Kafkaesque metamorphosis - as well as what Cronenberg tries to show with the film which is the social exclusion of a human being because different and that same person trying to be something different but can't.

Thirty years later, the make up and special effects are jaw-dropping and still impressive and they don't look the least bit dated.

The leading duo is excellent. Jeff Goldblum is phenomenal as Seth Brundle/the Fly, and Geena Davis gives an equally good performance as Seth's love interest. Also their chemistry is wonderful.

Videodrome (1983)

Genre

Horror | Sci-Fi

Director

David Cronenberg

Country

Canada

Cast

James Woods, Deborah Harry, Sonja Smits, Peter Dvorsky, Lynne Gorman, Leslie Carlson, Jack Creley, Reiner Schwarz, David Tsubouchi

Storyline

Sleazy lowlife cable TV operation Max Renn (James Woods) discovers a snuff broadcast called "Videodrome". Fascinated by the sick and twisted program, Renn searches to discover where the show is coming from and who is behind it. His investigation turns up some strange and terrifying information.

Opinion

1980s. The cinematic audience has already watched with enthusiasm the classics of science fiction - "2001: A Space Odyssey", "Alien", and "Star Wars" -, all different yet similar films. Somebody had to come up with something different, something revolutionary; that's when David Cronenberg stepped in and the shocked the audience with "Videodrome", a disturbing, bizarre, twisted and mind-bending film.

The plot is confusing, contradictory and quite absurd, the film lacks any good dialogue and character development, the storytelling doesn't fully engage and the metaphors contained in the film sometimes distract from the actual film, yet this is a great film.

The reason of that must be sought in its philosophy. "Videodrome" is not about mind-controlling cable shows - that would be the most stupid idea ever, right? -, but about our unhealthy relationship with media.

The world of media, from which we are dominated today even more than we were in 1983, is like a cancer devouring us from the outside; it increasingly erodes our relationship with reality and forces us to live, experience human relationships virtually. This television takes hold of our minds, and it deprives us of the opportunity and ability to be in control of ourselves.

Quite prophetic, isn't it? Anyway, this reflection - quite banal nowadays - is shown by the Canadian director through sick and filthy images, a good use of gory special effects, and moments of beautiful photography, thanks to which "Videodrome" remains imprinted in the viewer's mind.

James Woods gives an intense performance as the cable TV pornographer who stumbles upon Videodrome. He is totally convincing, but the lack of character development keeps you from feeling him. Deborah Harry is excellent as Woods sadomasochist girlfriend, and she has a great (sexual) chemistry with Woods.

"Television is reality, and reality is less than television." - Brian O'Blivion

Maps to the Stars (2014)

Genre

Drama

Director

David Cronenberg

Country

Canada | United States

Cast

Julianne Moore, Mia Wasikowska, John Cusack, Robert Pattinson, Olivia Williams, Sarah Gadon, Evan Bird, Carrie Fisher, Jayne Heitmeyer, Jonathan Watton, Amanda Brugel, Justin Kelly, Emilia McCarthy, Kiara Glasco, Ari Cohen, Dawn Greenhalgh, Domenic Ricci, Sean Robertson, Gord Rand

Plot

Meet the Weiss family, who are making their way in Hollywood with money, fame, envy and relentless huntings. Stafford Weiss (John Cusack) is a famed TV self-help therapist. Christina Weiss (Olivia Williams) has her work cut out managing the career of their child-star son, Benjamin (Evan Bird), a fresh graduate of rehab.
Yet unbeknownst to them, another member of the Weiss family has arrived in town - mysteriously scarred and tormented Agatha (Mia Wasikowska), just released from a psych ward and ready to start again. She soon works her way into a friendship with a limo driver (Robert Pattinson) and becomes personal assistant to unraveling actress Havana Segrand (Julianne Moore), who is beset by the ghost of her legendary mother, Clarice (Sarah Gadon). But Agatha is on a quest for redemption - and even in this realm of the artificial, and the unearthly, she's determined to find it, no matter what it takes.

Opinion

If you have seen at least one of David Cronenberg's film you surely know he doesn't give a damn about the public. He has great skills in bringing to the screen characters in which you can not see yourself and stories with situations far away from the daily. Maps to the Stars is a great film, which achieves its goal: a satirical ridiculing of the showbiz and the private lives of celebrities, revealing their shadows.
The cast was brilliant; Julianne Moore's performance is wondrously magnificent.

Quotes

Agatha: On the stairs of Death I write your name, Liberty

Rating

8.0/10