Tag: Anne Goursaud

ONE FROM THE HEART (1981)

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Directed By: Francis Ford Coopola

Written By: Francis Ford Coopola,

Armyan Bernstein and Luana Anders 

Story By: Armyan Bernstein

Cinematography: Vittorio Storaro and Ronald V. Garcia

Editor: Rudi Fehr, Anne Goursaud and Randy

Roberts

Cast: Frederic Forest, Teri Garr, Raul Julia, Natassja Kinski, Harry Dean Stanton, Lanie Kazan, Allen Garfield, Rebecca DeMornay, Jeff Hamlin

Hank and Frannie don’t seem to be able to live together anymore. After a five-year relationship, lustful and dreamy Frannie leaves down-to-earth Hank on the anniversary of their relationship. Each one of them meets their dream mate, but as bright as they may seem, they are but a stage of lights and colors. Will true love prevail over a seemingly glamorous passion? Welcome to Coppola’s Broadway-like romantic musical.

watching this infamous film Which has quite a bit of history, now while one  didn’t love it respect and admire it. Also, ended up as great medicine for the soul. Francis Ford Coppola tried, and this is a piece of art. It’s inspiring, Beautiful though it’s too technical and limited in it’s passion still worth watching

One has to give him More Admiration as he does have a gift with musical or dance sequences, and no one swings for the rafters better

This film is experimental nature makes it a beautiful site to behold. That feels exciting and magical. Especially for the time that it was made when it seemed if you had enough clout anything was possible, and as a notary Director, you could take a big swing for the rafters and hope they paid off

I still think that Francis Ford Coppola should be noted for THE COTTON CLUB And this film is making musicals in the 1980s that had flare and had that all time spirit to them that made it feel like the films had soul. Supposedly even His film

TUCKER, A MAN AND HIS DREAMS Was supposed to be a musical at some point.

Go for everything that the film Has going, for it ends up a disappointment to a certain extent, but a beautiful attempt that feels like a time capsule almost. 

As even the music by Tom Waits, who, normally, I love most of his music, one can say this is not one of my favorite albums or music by him even though I can relate to the spirit of it, and it is listenable as it feels like sad, harmonious, ballads, and duets about love.

One of the weaknesses of the films that you don’t really care about the story Or the characters as there’s not really that much to either of them, as they always feel more like concepts than three dimensional characters, so that everything feels artificial as the sets that it takes place on, which are amazing to look at and beautifully built, but unfortunately again, artificial, which was it’s aim. As it always feels like a presentation a lark that feels like theater, which was supposed to be so it did succeed but achieved what It was supposed to in the end. That was simple as it was it seemed like most audiences just didn’t get it or we’re not that interested

Unfortunately, it wasn’t successful and was the last bomb that sunk Francis Ford Coppola zoetrope studios

The film plays more tour, earlier era where you went to films more be entertained, and hoped that some of the story or characters would be identifiable to the audience. If not, personally, they knew of the subject as this plays more as entertainment, and then something that feels deeply personal and thought out or even passion filled.

By the end one can’t help, but feel sorry for Natasha Kinski‘s character as she took a risk on this fling as it’s her first real taste of freedom she can even take not being the first in his heart, but as long as she has him feels like that’s good enough for her in the end she knew that he wouldn’t really be able to tear himself away and though she leaves she has nowhere really to go back to happily

The film is in Everyman Love story that feels vague. It’s a musical with some dance sequences, but the songs are sung Morris, voiceover and narration by Tom Waits and Crystal Gale. So the actors never really sang. They more perform. It’s also the rare film, where Noted character actor, Frederic Forest actually got to play the lead

In the end, it feels like a nice try No, you never feel anything other than a driving force and artistry being thrown at you

Grade: C+

CRIMES OF THE HEART (1986)

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Directed By: Bruce Beresford 

Written By: Beth Hanley 

Cinematography: Dante Spinotti 

Editor: Anne Goursaud 

Cast: Diane Keaton, Tess Harper, Jessica Lange, Sissy Spacek, Sam Shepard, David Carpenter, Hurd Hatfield, Beeson Carroll  

Three sisters with quite different personalities and lives reunite when Babe, the youngest, has just shot her husband. Oldest sister Lenny takes care of their grandfather and is turning into an old maid. Meg, who aspires to make it in Hollywood as a singer and actress, has had a wild, man-filled life. Their reunion is joyful but also stirs up much tension.

This is one of those films that seems to be a claim for its time and while it’s not horrible, not a film can easily get into.

As the story is obviously based on a play and that they’re in lies the problem as lived in as the direction production design and dialogue, tries to feel the acting feels like it is more a writer’s invention rather than necessarily natural.

So that throughout while quirky and revelatory, and at times it might seem relatable. It always feels more like a production than anything that rings true. This can be fine but for such a film that wants us to feel down deep at times, it feels almost like a designing women episode that’s been extended.

Not to mention some of the stories, mindset, and plot lines that make up this film might’ve been passable and somewhat racy back then, but now it feels more taboo and unacceptable, and today’s climate.  

One can understand going for realism, but there is one scene in the use of racial language that just seems maybe natural for the character but just seems inappropriate for the film, and the mood and tone that it seems to be going for don’t sink into the film just throw it off at times. Same thing where Sam Shepard Dr. character has messed up teeth for no reason then to maybe make Shepard not seem like such a dreamboat and more like a regular character or a guy. You might wonder why when this film is hardly a bastion of realism half the time.

All the performances are great and Tess Harper, who got a Best Supporting Actress Academy Award nomination for the film truly does stand out as more of the thorn in the side of the characters a busybody, who is always opinionated and shockingly memorable. She is barely in the film. 

This film should be a great triumph with such dramatic actresses altogether on the big screen all at once such as Jessica Lang, Diane Keaton, and Sissy Spacek, and they all are given much to do and characterizations, but unfortunately, the film just doesn’t feel that big or special maybe that strength is that supposed to feel subtle. No, it doesn’t come off as satisfying, and by the end, it just feels like it just stops instead of having any real feeling of resolution.

Grade: C 

THE TWO JAKES (1990)

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Directed by: Jack Nicholson 
Written By: Robert Towne 
Cinematography: Vilmos Zsigmond 
Editor: Anne Goursaud

Cast: Jack Nicholson, Harvey Keitel, Meg Tilly, Madeline Stowe, Eli Wallach, Ruben Blades, David Keith, James Hong, Frederic Forrest, Richard Farnsworth, Tracey Walter, Joe Mantell, Perry Lopez, Rebecca Broussard, Van Dyke Parks

The sequel to Chinatown finds J.J. “Jake” Gittes investigating adultery and murder, and the money that comes from oil.

When the film was coming out I remember all the advertisements for the movie as a kid and always being impressed by its poster artwork. At the time I had never seen or heard of CHINATOWN the movie, but knew this was a sequel to something and really only interested because Jack Nicholson was in it and this was right after BATMAN and I remember him from the movie THE WITCHES OF EASTWICK. 

This sequel or update of the film classic CHINATOWN tries to continue the look and style.  It even has some returning cast members and characters. While employing some great character actors. So by all rights, the film should be noteworthy. As it has some great shows to fill.

Though it falls short very short that barely stands in the shadow of the previous film. It has a similarly twisty and twisted storyline that ends up being easy to figure out. Not to mention not as devastating. As it doesn’t pull the audience in, as much to care. It stays at arm’s distance. Not that the first film was all that warm and cuddly but it kept you on your toes. Especially when it came to the mystery. Here you just wonder how everything fits. 

This film also lacks any memorable scenes or revelations. It’s pretty mundane as it seems to try too hard. You want it to be better than it actually is. As the material is there it just feels misrepresented.

Madeline Stowe at first seems like she will be a femme fatale and be more important to the overall story. Though after awhile she seems to be here for no real reason other than as pretty dressing and more of a distraction.

The cast seems to be playing more into the mood of the movie. Which is always gloomy rather than characters. This film has no spirit really it stays flat and simple.

The film tries but it comes up as rather dull and just going through the motions. As it never takes a definite direction or offers any real distinctions.

Knowing this film had a full share of behind-the-scenes dramas between screenwriter Robert towns, Producer Robert Evans and star/director Jack Nicholson, Evans was upset after hoping to play the role of the other Jake Played by Harvey Keitel, but not only not being strong enough an actor but getting bad plastic surgery right before filming began. Then Robert towns dropped out of directing and the film was postponed until Nicholson took the reins of the project. As this was supposed to be the second of a trilogy. 

You can see what they were trying to do and attempting before time ran out, but this might have been better off than what could have been. 

Grade: C+