Double Feature: Memento & Bad Timing

Christopher Nolan is considered by many to be one of the most celebrated directors working in the new millennium. Films like “Dunkirk”, “Interstellar”, “Inception” and The Dark Knight Trilogy have cemented his status as an auteur. Before making his status with big budget features, he made his film debut with the ultra low budget “Following” which was then followed by the film that caught the attention of studios, “Memento”. The film tells the story of Leonard, (Guy Pierce) a man with short term memory loss who looks for his wife’s killer. The film is told in non-linear fashion as it plays backwards and flashes back in time. It also has elements of a film noir with examples like Billy Wilder’s “Sunset Boulevard” and Jacques Tourneur’s “Out of the Past”. I have seen the film many times after the first viewing left me confused but this is normal for these kinds of films where we are not familiar with the structure of the narrative. However, there was a film released twenty years prior that I think influenced the story structure to Nolan’s film.

British cinematographer turned director Nicolas Roeg is known for his films that have been likened to a maze. Films such as “Performance”, “Walkabout”, “Don’t Look Now” and “The Man Who Fell to Earth” have been praised for their style and storylines. In 1980, Roeg releases “Bad Timing” which tells the story of a psychoanalyst (Art Garfunkel) in Cold War Vienna who has an intense love affair with a married woman (Theresa Russell) that leads her to overdose on drugs. Harvey Keitel plays an Austrian detective who is trying to figure what happened with the woman. Like “Memento”, “Bad Timing” jumps back and forth in time to their first encounter and the investigation at the hospital. The innovative editing and a soundtrack that includes music by The Who and Tom Waits make this film a stand out. The casting of Art Garfunkel as a psychoanalyst might seem weird but his performance works as is the rest of the cast. Upon first release, the film was met with harsh criticism due to its raw sexual content and the actions of the characters. I first saw the film a few months back and it was an experience. After seeing it recently, the plot was easy to understand and questions I had on my first viewing answered. Interestingly, both Nolan and Roeg have cited Argentinean writer Jorge Luis Borges as an influence on their work. Borges’ work was mostly short stories that have themes of labyrinths, dreams, philosophy and religion. It is easy to see both filmmakers put these themes into their films.

A film professor told the class once that a great film leads to multiple viewings. I have seen both of these films more than once and it really helped me appreciate them. Watching it a second time, I began to see things I didn’t’ notice the first time. Had the films structure was in chronological order, it would have lost that element of mystery. I have no doubt that Nolan was influenced by the films of Roeg not just in “Memento” but also in his other work. Other filmmakers that seem to be influence by Roeg also include Steven Soderbergh, Quentin Tarantino and other directors who attempted to make a non-linear plot. I highly recommend having a double feature with these two films and see if there are any similarities with the two.        

Looking Back: McCabe and Mrs. Miller (1971)

First released in 1971, “McCabe and Mrs. Miller” was directed by Robert Altman after the success of his war comedy “M*A*S*H”.  Despite the western setting, Altman has described the film as an “anti-western” as it does not play on the conventions of one. The film stars Warren Beatty and Julie Christie in the titular roles, John McCabe is a gambler and a reported gunfighter while Constance Miller is a brothel owner with an addiction to opium. Together, they run a profitable business with a brothel near a mining town. Things go well until a private company offers MCabe to buy the business. A commentary on early 70’s America only disguised as a western. We also get to meet the people of the town and their everyday life. Behind the camera also is the late great cinematographer Vilmos Zsigmond, (Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Blow Out, The Deer Hunter) whose work on the film is beautiful to look at. Singer Leonard Cohen contributed three songs and his vocals fit perfectly with the film’s mood.

The combination of talent both in front and behind the camera, the production design, choice of music and period setting are what makes the film stand out. Westerns such as “The Searchers”, “Stagecoach” and “The Wild Bunch” came out before Altman’s film but many would not have imagine his vision. If you know Altman, then you would be familiar with his wondering camera, often not on the titular characters. Warren Beatty plays the character as a fool who acts like a businessman and it is a great performance. Julie Christie is the smart character in the film who advices McCabe to take the deal. Their scenes have great chemistry that demonstrate Altman’s approach of letting actors improvise.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBAzBWYoR9U

The cinematography of film is different than we see in other westerns. At a screening of the film in 2014, Zsigmond tells the audience while discussing the look with Altman, he said "If they had movies in those days, they would look faded away, scratchy, grainy and very soft and no contrast." To achieve that, Zsigmond would lightly expose the film negative in open air or "flashing" as it was called before shooting. When looking at the finished film, it does have an old time feel to it. When showing the film to studio executives, they did not like the way it looked but there was no way to fix it which made Altman happy. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MxlTo0BbQlE

The late Leonard Cohen was chosen by Altman to perform after listening to his debut album “Songs of Leonard Cohen”. Cohen lent three of his songs to the film, “The Stranger Song” that opens the film, “Sisters of Mercy” and “Winter Lady”. The opening of the film introduces us to McCabe as a stranger going into town, perfectly setting up his role to come. Plus, the way McCabe is dressed with that bear fur coat is genius and his gold tooth. Though he states himself as a businessman, it is clear that he is a renegade. This type of personality also fits Altman and Cohen in their personality.

After this, Altman would move on to make a variety of films. The humorous neo noir “The Long Goodbye”, “Nashville”, “3 Women” and “The Player” are a few examples of what he has done. My first time watching it, I was left confused on the story and what unfolded. However, the second viewing helped out with things I missed in the second viewing. I think it helps watching films more than once to appreciate it more. In this case, the talent behind and in front of the camera made a film that that will be watched for many years to come.     

Sources

http://filmmakermagazine.com/87150-old-faded-pictures-vilmos-zsigmond-on-mccabe-mrs-miller/#.WYncRVWGPIU

  

Top Ten Brian De Palma Films

Brian De Palma was part of the New Hollywood movement that included Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, Francis Ford Coppola and Martin Scorsese in the 1970’s. This group of young filmmakers went to film school based on their love of cinema and their contributions resulted in many great films during this time period. His early films were quirky low budget comedies that featured a young Robert De Niro, “Hi Mom” and “Greetings” that were inspired by the French New Wave. After this, he switches to thrillers, crime, horror, war (Casualties of War), spy and even science fiction (Mission to Mars). “Carrie”, “Scarface”, “The Untouchables” and “Mission: Impossible” are some of his most well known films. As I explored some of his filmography over the years, I began to have an appreciation to some of his other films.  De Palma was known for the craft he brought to his films, regardless of genre. The close-ups and scenes with little to no dialouge heighten the tension. He has been known to pay homage to his idol, Alfred Hitchcock, but so has some of his other contemporaries.

Spoilers ahead for some of the post and video clips.

10. Mission Impossible (1996)

Based on the 1960’s show, the film follows Tom Cruise’s secret agent Ethan Hunt as he tracks down who betrayed his team on a mission while trying to evade capture. From clever disguises to stealing computer files via hanging wire, it is a suspenseful action thriller.

For Cruise’s first film as producer, choosing Brian De Palma for the project was a smart choice as well as an ignition for the franchise. It is a very different kind of spy film than a James Bond film. It is more along the line of Jules Dassin’s heist films “Riffi” and “Topkapi”, the latter which inspired the TV show. The film’s Prague setting is used well for the characters to hide in since at the time, American audiences were not familiar with the city. I first saw the film in theaters, which would be my first introduction to De Palma.   

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-EUr-dNNJQ&index=1&list=PL6WTKIn1rxFSSYr8ST3VAqaYgRw5hDKcQ

9. Carlito’s Way (1993)

De  Palma and Al Pacino reunite for a different kind of Latino gangster film. The film follows Pacino’s Carlito Brigantte, fresh out of prison, trying to stay clean while reluctantly being lured back to crime. He also has a woman that he is in love with. The film opens with his death but is then told of what happened before.   

 I consider this film to be a companion piece to Scarface as both films are about Latino gangsters and the lifestyle that surrounds them. However, this one feels more mature than the other. Here, De Palma shows Carlito as a more seasoned professional who wants out. The opening of the film features a long extended take that shows De Palma’s skills. Shown through Carlito’s dying POV, the camera slowly makes a 180 degree turn. Pacino does a wonderful job with the character, not going over the top like Tony Montana. The supporting cast is also great, from a slimy Sean Penn as Carlito’s crooked lawyer, Penelope Ann Miller as a dancer who becomes the object of affection for Carlito, Luis Guzman and Viggo Mortensen.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWfYh08LXYk&list=PL6WTKIn1rxFSSYr8ST3VAqaYgRw5hDKcQ&index=2

8. The Untouchables (1987)

Based on another 1960’s television show, this adaptation follows treasury agent Elliot Ness as he organizes a group of lawmen to take down Al Capone and his criminal empire.  While not historically accurate, it is a good old fashioned cops versus gangsters flick that is a lot of fun.

Working off a script by David Mamet, De Palma brilliantly re-creates 1920’s Chicago for a fictional story based on real life efforts. The set design and costuming played a huge role in transporting us to this world of prohibition. The cast is also top notch from a young Kevin Costner as Ness, Sean Connery as an Irish cop who mentors Ness and Robert De Niro as Capone. The shootout at Union Station is the highlight of the film and an homage to Sergi Eisenstein’s Battleship Potemkin. The close-ups and sound design create that white knuckle tension.   

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6Vtgvnkybc&list=PL6WTKIn1rxFSSYr8ST3VAqaYgRw5hDKcQ&index=3

7. Dressed to Kill (1980)

In this erotic thriller, a high class call girl (Nancy Allen) is pursued by a killer after witnessing a murder. Michael Caine is a therapist who suspects one of his patients is behind the murder. The call girl then teams up with the murder victim’s teenage son to trap the killer, leading to a finale one will never forget.  

For me, this is De Palma paying tribute to Alfred Hitchcock with the plot being similar to Psycho and Vertigo for the museum sequence. There is even a little bit of the giallo horror films by Dario Argento in the elevator murder scene.  At this time, Angie Dickinson was famous for her “Police Woman” show and to see her killed early in the film shocked audiences. Though, Janet Leigh did it first twenty years prior.   

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8_HfT2ndyg&list=PL6WTKIn1rxFSSYr8ST3VAqaYgRw5hDKcQ&index=4

6. Sisters (1973)

De Palma’s first foray into the horror-thriller genre, Margot Kidder plays a French Canadian model whose twin sister has committed murder. A witness, a female reporter and neighbor from the across the street, is determined to find out what happened.

This is the film that De Palma sank his teeth in after the failure of his first studio film “Get to Know Your Rabbit”.  Clearly, he set out to make a Hitchcock film (even borrowing composer Bernard Hermann) and yet, truly original. The opening of the film will throw off some viewers but just stick around, you won’t regret it. The sequence where he uses a split screen to depict the different character’s viewpoints has been a favorite of mine.  (The clip below may be out of sync.) A good exercise for the filmmaker and his future awaits him at this time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UEmV9vQ0zh8&index=5&list=PL6WTKIn1rxFSSYr8ST3VAqaYgRw5hDKcQ

5. Scarface (1983)

This gangster epic follows Cuban exile Tony Montana as his rise in the criminal underworld also leads to his downfall. Writer Oliver Stone and De Palma update the 1930’s story into the 1980’s. Taking advantage of real life events like the Mariel boatlift and the violence in Miami as a result of the drug trade.The film stars Al Pacino as the titular character, Steven Bauer as Tony’s friend Manny, and in her debut, Michelle Pfeiffer as the mistreated but well pampered Elvira.

 I think De Palma made the film over the top to portray the world these characters live in. Violence, language, drugs and Al Pacino’s line are probably what most viewers would remember this film for. I think it was intentional to show that this is a world we should not glamorize. The chainsaw scene was filmed to not show anything but the reaction of Montana as he witnesses it. The story reminds me of my favorite Shakespeare play, Macbeth. Both characters are ruthless when assuming power and they both fall once on top. Its cult status in the hip hop community still continues to this day. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLSTE7fsLoM&index=6&list=PL6WTKIn1rxFSSYr8ST3VAqaYgRw5hDKcQ

4. Carrie (1976)

The first adaptation of Stephen King’s first novel follows Carrie White, a social outcast who discovers she has telekinesis. Along with that, she has to deal with bullying at school and abuse from a religious mother. The prom scene will make people remember the scene.

This was De Palma’s fist major hit and one that led him to make other studio films. The cast includes Sissy Spacek, Piper Laurie, Nancy Allen and in his film debut, John Travolta. The prom sequence uses the same split screen like in “Sisters” to show the deaths that result from her powers. However, the first dance scene is a favorite mine and how he shot it. The actors were placed on a platform that was spinning in one direction. The way the colors change in this scene reflects on the mood of the characters.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=St-1iO1_flU&list=PL6WTKIn1rxFSSYr8ST3VAqaYgRw5hDKcQ&index=7

3. Femme Fatale (2002)

During a heist at the Cannes Film Festival, a beautiful jewel thief (Rebecca Romijn) double crosses her partners and assumes the identity of a Parisian woman that resembles her. Along the way, she bumps into her old crime partners and a photographer (Antonio Banderas) that took her picture years prior.

Upon release, the film was not a success with critics or audiences. However, my first viewing of the film had an impact on me. The film opens with a twenty minute heist that will keep audiences up on the edge. From there, it goes through these twists and turns that I won’t give away. It is better to go into this film without knowing anything. For being a supermodel, Romijn does a good job with her performance. She is clearly having a fun time for the role, especially during her striptease. In this sequence, we become the voyeurs like Antonio and the lucky French man.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLQo3T-N3NA&index=8&list=PL6WTKIn1rxFSSYr8ST3VAqaYgRw5hDKcQ

2. Phantom of the Paradise (1974)

This rock and roll musical thriller follows a composer whose work is stolen by a music producer and following an accident, is turned into the titular character haunting a music venue. He also falls for a beautiful singer, whose voice attracts him.

De Palma not only borrows Gaston Leroux’s “Phantom of the Opera” but also from the Faust tale. The song numbers are great as are the performances by Finely, Williams and Harper. It is one kind of a film that should be seen as it took me years to watch it. Luckily, I rented it at a library and was not disappointed. Picking a scene from this won’t do justice as the whole film needs to be seen. If you are a fan of “Rocky Horror”, then check this one out. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2n5qVJEg3qA&index=9&list=PL6WTKIn1rxFSSYr8ST3VAqaYgRw5hDKcQ

1. Blow Out (1981)

 A sound technician (John Travolta), who is working for a B movie studio, is caught in a murder conspiracy after recording sounds one night and witnesses a car accident that may not have been an accident. A call girl (Nancy Allen) also gets involved as they are pursued by a murderer (John Lithgow) killing anyone in his way.

This masterpiece of a thriller shows De Palma at the top of his game. From the story, performances and technique are on a higher level.  One of my favorite sequences in the film is when Travolta’s character is assembling that mini film using the newspaper pictures and the sound he recorded. As is shown, it was how film is assembled in the old days before digital. For me, this makes the film a personal one for De Palma who also wrote it. The film’s title is a homage to Michelangelo Antonioni’s “Blow-Up” about a photographer who may have witness a murder. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3u5sAz3_AwQ&list=PL6WTKIn1rxFSSYr8ST3VAqaYgRw5hDKcQ&index=10

I would like to thank Chris Bench in taking a look at my post and for providing feedback.