Let's Scare Martine to Death

Oh Lordy! The other day I was "lecturing" another poster on the board for Leo Carax's excellent art movie HOLY MOTORS because said person had almost flippantly dismissed it for not being "intriguing" enough, etc. After enduring THE LETTER, now I find myself having to take a taste (a squirt at least) of my own medicine.

I understand it's an "art film". I understand it's written-scored-photographed-cameo'd & directed by James Franco's teacher. I understand it shouldn't be watched the way one would watch BRIDESMAIDS or SAFE HAVEN or I KNOW WHO KILLED ME. But it didn't work for me as any kind of movie, arty or not.

However, as a test reel designed to show whether Winona Ryder still has "it", it succeeds admirably (although it shouldn't have lasted an hour & a half). Winona looks beautiful. The camera loves her & it captures not just that delicate aspect of her, but that unsettled, "off" quality about her that actresses like Mia Farrow & Isabelle Adjani were so adept at projecting during their careers. Even though the film kept me in a state of stupor, it was Winona's character, who seems so mysteriously engaged in whatever's happening to her & one can SEE that on screen, that kept me watching. At times she strongly resembled british actress Pamela Franklin (of THE INNOCENTS, AND SOON THE DARKNESS and THE LEGEND OF HELL HOUSE fame). Her wide, dark, riveting deer-caught-in-the headlights eyes & doll face reminded me of Jessica Harper's in SUSPIRIA. There was even a stunning closeup towards the end, her pretty alabaster visage framed by a couple of white curtains that had an Audrey Hepburn quality about it.
Her obvious talents alone cannot carry this long exercise. The film needed an arresting visual canvas (some here have mentioned David Lynch) but the movie is photographed & resembles more a piece like Abel Ferrara's DANGEROUS GAME. This film & Winona's role in it belongs in a long tradition of troubled-psyche women in movies like (to pick a few) Robert Altman's IMAGES starring Susannah York, SHADOW PLAY with Dee Wallace, NIGHT WATCH with Elizabeth Taylor.
Imagine the wonders Winona would do with the part that Zohra Lampert played in the creepfest LET'S SCARE JESSICA TO DEATH or Mimsy Farmer in THE PERFUME OF THE LADY IN BLACK.

James Franco floats throughout the movie looking like the hottie he is. He effortlessly exudes that star-quality self assurance of the Brando & Mickey Rourke school. He also lounges around a lot & seems to be applying the "method" approach to his performance - like channeling an oak tree, perhaps.
I wish he'd done a full nude scene. It would've really put this film on the map.

That out-of-left-field explanation for Martine's schizo-ness towards the end (the white powder on her face) was totally jarring in such a heavy art film. Even though it's supposed to be a "twist" to make one sit up & take notice, it felt more like one of those ludicrous explanations the viewer gets for a psycho killer's actions at the end of a Dario Argento movie. IMHO, this should've been at the beginning. Then the whole film's attempted dislocation would've kept one watching. But as mentioned before, this film is not visually ambitious - which I find perplexing if it's true the film's budget was 10 million.

I'm currently reading a fabulous book by Canadian writer Kier-La Janisse, HOUSE OF PSYCHOTIC WOMEN: An Autobiographical Topography of Female Neurosis in Horror and Exploitation Films. Half of it is, believe it or not, an autobiography of the author's damaged childhood & how she has seen parts of herself & her life reflected on these types of female roles. I highly recommend it. I would also PAY to hear what she'd had to say about this film.

;)