MovieChat Forums > The Falls (1982) Discussion > My story of The Falls...

My story of The Falls...

posted 15 years ago by GrigoryGirl
6 replies | jump to latest

I saw this film in January 1988 at the Film Center of the Art Institute of Chicago. Greenaway was an "arthouse darling" at the time, so they were screening this film, his debut film. It was only shown once that month.

The theater was packed, almost sold out. After the first 90 minutes were up and it was intermission, half the people in the theater left. After the 2nd half of the movie was over, half of the people that were still around left before the film concluded.

This is not a condemnation of the film, quite the contrary. It's one of Greenaway's most unique films, and one of the most startling feature debuts in film history. The fact that many didn't get it doesn't mean it was awful. It's a work of art, uniquely fascinating for those attuned to Greeanway's obsessions. The people who left weren't fascinated. Their loss, and the Film Center got to keep their money.

I was very happy that it was released on DVD in North America. I hadn't seen it in 20 years.

[–] 15 years ago

[deleted]

[–] author-21 15 years ago

Wanna have some fun sometime you should put the dvd of this movie in your home dvd-player and set it to 'shuffle'. It's like watching a completely different movie for the first time (every time). :)

[–] GrigoryGirl 15 years ago

That's actually a really good idea.

[–] yawn-3 15 years ago

I walked out of The Falls the first time I went to see it... and found I couldn't stop thinking about it: I went back and saw it to the end, and years later, I still love it. I love the silly mock-doc voice over, the madness of the surnames, the camera running through the woodland with Nyman's fabulous score. And after seeing Greenaway's most recent stuff, I feel he has lost his way.

[–] GrigoryGirl 15 years ago

I'm glad you went back. It's an immensely enjoyable film. I was so glad that it got released on Region 1 DVD.

And you're right about Greenaway's recent stuff. He seems to have lost his way in the last 10 years or so.

[–] alan_ryder 7 years ago

Many people do not have much of a sense of humor, or patience. I think Greenaway is quite a good satirist and found 'The Falls' very funny. I might wonder if those people who left also dislike Monty Python, who Greenaway really reminds me of with this and other efforts. I imagine a source of his black and wry humor could be from his readings of history, as he is apparently somewhat of a historian. Another could be some of the absurdities encountered almost daily in the press.

I'd suggest a study of British comedy history for those impatient folks. I've never really understood leaving a theater prematurely after paying good money. Considering what we go through a short time in a dark theater regardless, especially after you have paid, is not much, as long as it is comfortable anyway.