Birds of Turmoil (Through the Mirror)

 Burn this house of lies and its gilded secrets.
Burn the ground they walk on and let their children
Cry until all of their dreams drown in tears.

And don’t be sorry – the shadows don’t feel.
And don’t be holy – the first snow will bleed
And lead you into a new labyrinth
Where you’ll be as lost as you’ve ever been.

Raise the dead of your vivid memories,
Invoke the black clouds from your reveries,
And sing for the infernal rain never to stop falling.

(At midnight, we’ll turn into reflections of our pain.
In the morning, we will pass through the mirror.)

Human Lost (Fuminori Kizaki, 2019)

 ☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼ out of 10☼

Inner demons externalize as borderline-Lovecraftian monsters in Fuminori Kizaki's latest anime feature which turns its source material - namely, Osamu Dazai's highly acclaimed novel No Longer Human - on its head (as well as inside-out) - a pretty daring move from screenwriter Tow Ubukata (Le Chevalier D'Eon, Mardock Scramble, Ghost in the Shell: Arise). Filtered through the prism of adrenaline-pumping cyberpunk-action, original story is kept on a life support machine, as its rebellious spirit roams wild and free through Tokyo of the not-so-distant (and not-so-utopian) future.

The year is 2036 (Showa 111) and diseases are the thing of the past thanks to the breakthroughs in medical technology, i.e. the S.H.E.L.L. (Sound Health and Everlasting Long Life) system of nanomachines that allows even death to be reversed. However, the power lies in the hands of a selected few elders who rule the elite of 'Inside', whereas the city outskirts are inhabited by hoi polloi who are to be exploited in their longevity, being denied the full benefits of the abovementioned system. Those who try to disconnect forcefully from H.U.M.A.N. network transform into savage atrocities called 'Lost', and are 'processed' by the troopers of the H.I.L.A.M. (Human Intelligence, Laboratory, Mechanist) agency.

The ensuing economical disparity and the possibility of complete organic overhaul lead to the rise of revolutionary movements one of which instigates a kamikaze-like assault on Inside in a memorable bike-chase sequence inviting comparison to the cult favorite Akira. Recruited by a mysterious string-puller, Masao Horiki, and his best friend Takeichi, a depressed, drug-addicted artist, Yozo Oba, finds himself amidst the mess, only to have his super-special ability awaken... with a little help of S.H.E.L.L.'s 'applicant' Yoshiko Hiiragi. What follows is 'a battle between Yoshiko’s pure hearted idealism, Oba’s despair-fuelled cynicism, and Masao’s embittered nihilism' (as Hayley Scanlon words it for Windows on Worlds) painted as a larger-than-life and stronger-than-death sci-fi extravaganza.

Exploring or at least touching upon the themes of societal injustice, generational conflict, scientific progress with its upsides and downsides, alienation in the technologically advanced era, and knowing one's true self no matter how frightening it is, Kizaki anchors the narrative in a familiar, yet uncanny reality of nightmarish proportions. Although he favors style over substance, his film - moving at brisk pace - raises a number of questions impossible to be answered unambiguously, providing the viewer with just enough food for thought to keep him/her engaged in the bombastic proceedings. 

On frequent ventures into his protagonists' minds (or hearts!), he resorts to some good ol' 'tricks' which open doors towards innermost, void-like spaces of non-existent gravity - we've seen those 'locales' countless times before, yet they never seem to get worn-out! Equally surreal and physics-defying are over-the-top action set-pieces where Kizaki and his team of animators shine brightest, but this doesn't mean they have nothing to show during more reflective parts that allow us to take a breath. On the contrary, there are loads of eye-candy in both character and background design, including, inter alia, an abandoned temple (as the revolutionaries' hideout), sterile laboratories of S.H.E.L.L., neon-lit skyscrapers evoking vistas of Blade Runner, and impressive holograms inspired by traditional Japanese art and architecture. And let's not forget the psychedelic imaging of Losts' point of view, and delightfully morbid pieces of Yozo's artwork! Complementing the lavish cel-shaded visuals is a dramatic score featuring some pounding techno/rock tracks as excitement intensifiers.

If you're fond of the 80s and 90s dark cyberpunk anime (regardless of the cheesy factor), there's a fair chance that Human Lost will trigger some precious memories, notwithstanding its glossy, CG-heavy glaze, so don't miss it.

Anaphase (Levi Zini, 1996)

 ☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼(☼) out of 10☼

Part behind-the-scenes documentary and part 'electrifying translation' of a contemporary dance performance to the medium of cinema, as noted in the official synopsis, Anaphase is a fairly successful attempt at capturing experimental nature and manic energy or rather, lyrical forcefulness of the eponymous show conceived by renowned Israeli dancer and choreographer Ohad Naharin. By virtue of frantic editing, Levi Zini makes the images - immersive in their grainy splendor - sway in the rhythm of the Batsheva Dance Company troupers' synchronized heartbeats, pulling us into a constantly changing vortex of movement. During a couple of calmer / atmospheric rock passages, we are introduced to Mr Naharin's guitar-playing skills and velvety baritone that recalls the likes of David Bowie and Nick Cave, as well as to the impressive contralto owned by Arnan Zlotnik who gets his own 'bio-vignette', like several other of his colleagues. Accompanied by the performers' personal quotes, those brief introductions are skillfully integrated into a free-flowing 'narrative' largely told in body language and enchantingly diverse soundtrack.

Anaphase is available for buy or rent through the Vimeo on Demand platform.

Bacchanale (John & Lem Amero, 1970)

 ☼☼☼☼☼☼☼ out of 10☼

A guilt-ridden young woman, Ruth, who was once engaged in an incestuous relationship with her brother, Gordon, embarks on an introspective, surreally erotic journey (mis)guided by a mysterious cloaked figure, as Eros and Tanatos go 69 in this bizarre mélange of 'art' and sexploitation, with some 'psychological horror' thrown in for good measure.

Bacchanale is a decidedly adult affair in which several hardcore scenes operate as a glue of sorts or even as integral parts of 'wet nightmare' sequences involving an Escher-esque fire escape, an open coffin at a fashion party, hands coming out of the wall in a shameless instance of Repulsion (r)aping, a graveyard where Ionic pillars are more common than tombstones, and a cavernous dungeon featuring a glass cage, all posing as hidden recesses of Ruth's troubled mind.

Deeply steeped in dream logic, the 'story' - if one can call it that - has a pretty good flow, and exists only to support the naughty exhibitionism of the Amero brothers. Their ambition in blurring the boundaries between experimental cinema and pornography is admirable, and mirrored in attractive visuals tinted in various colors, from ominous greens to sultry reds. Accompanied by Lem's largely atmospheric score and some haunting soundscapes, John's 16mm cinematography complements the cheap-looking sets in a charming way, as naked bodies writhe in ecstasy. And when the film tape grain is not powerful enough to fight the budgetary constraints, joining the struggle are extra smoke or S&M action! Campy acting adds a sourly sweet flavor to the proceedings.

A Selection of Recent Artworks (V)

Recently, I've been obsessively expanding the Bianco/Nero universe (a series of B&W collages which currently encompasses more than 70 pieces, all available HERE), and for this occasion I will share ten recent additions dominated by peculiar female forces...

La Collettrice

Il Grande Tuffo

La Vera Levitazione

Davanti all'Ultimo Portale

La Principessa Scappa!

La Premonizione di Biancaneve

Desiderio

La Culla della Strega

La Scoperta di un'Altra Terra

Gli Schermi

Cinematic Favorites 08/20

The 8th month of 2020 is behind us and, as usual, I'm posting the list(s) of films I enjoyed the most. This time, there'll be 31 titles (out of approx. 100 seen), one for each day of August.

OLD-SCHOOL CINEMA

1. The Way Home (Aleqsandre Rekhviashvili, 1981)
2. Iran Is My Land (Parviz Kimiavi, 1999)
3. The Night of Counting the Years (Chadi Abdel Salam, 1969) / My first encounter with Egyptian cinema is the only feature film directed by Chadi Abdel Salam - an eloquently written, visually mesmerizing and sonically brooding drama soaked in mystical atmosphere...
4. The Son of the Sheik (George Fitzmaurice, 1926) / Back in the days, in order to win a girl’s heart you had to endure some serious lashing, ride across dunes through the sandstorm, engage in a sword fight against many adversaries and eventually remove your abusive father-in-law to be from the picture. All joking aside, George Fitzmaurice’s exotic, larger-than-life romance is well-worth seeing for its technical wizardry alone, especially during the scenes featuring the lead in a dual role, not to mention just the right pacing, zestful score and visual artistry, Vilma Bánky’s subtle eroticism and Rudolph Valentino’s hypnotic gaze.
5. Fantastic Night (Marcel L'Herbier, 1942) / Dressed in a film noir garment, this romantic dramedy sends its protagonist, a poor and constantly weary philosophy student, Denis (Fernand Gravey, who looks a bit too old for the role), on a surreal, oft-absurd nocturnal quest for his dream girl (Micheline Presle, sassy, mysterious and ethereal). Beginning at a dinner where some of the guests speak backwards, Denis’s oneiric adventure takes him to a glamorous Louvre party, as well as to a loony bin, with excursions to his dull reality (which forces him to work on a market) becoming increasingly sparse. A droll little romp with beautiful cinematography.
6. Love, Thy Name Be Sorrow (Tomu Uchida, 1962) / Preceding Masaki Kobayashi’s superior horror anthology Kwaidan (1964), Tomu Uchida’s excessively theatrical fantasy drama is densely packed with stunning visuals brimful of vivid colors, ornate traditional costumes and meticulously crafted studio sets which hold your attention in a firm grasp even when the story outstays its welcome.

THE LAST DECADE OFFERINGS

1. Adam’s Passion (Andy Sommer, 2015) / "... is the moving first collaboration between two 'masters of slow motion who harmonize perfectly with each other' (Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung). In the spectacular setting of a former submarine factory, American director and universal artist Robert Wilson creates a poetic visual world in which the mystical musical language of the Estonian composer Arvo Pärt can cast its meditative spell. Three of Pärt’s major works - Adam’s Lament, Tabula rasa, and Miserere, as well as Sequentia, a new work composed especially for this production - are brought together here using light, space, and movement to create a tightly-woven Gesamtkunstwerk in which the artistic visions of these two great artists mirror each other." 'Transcendental' is just the right word to describe both the performance and the experience of watching Andy Sommer's recording of it - an utterly mesmerizing 'über-documentary'. (I can only imagine how it must've felt for those lucky ones who heard and saw it live!) The concentration and stamina of the dancers is awe-inspiring, especially in the case of Michalis Theophanous who initially wears only his birthday suit.
2. The Scream (Phillipe Grandrieux, 2019) / A bold new experiment from the French provocateur is a distillate of primordial emotions. Almost as uncontrollable as a force of nature, it overwhelms you with its raw power.
3. The Last Fiction (Ashkan Rahgozar, 2018) / Although traditional and CG animation don't seamlessly blend at all times, whereby the Cinesquare VoD platform offers only English dubbing, Rahgozar's 'historical fantasy' is quite enjoyable. Essentially, it is a good vs. evil tale replete with heroic characters, bloody battles and demonic possessions, all borrowed from long epic poem Shahnameh written by the Persian poet Ferdowsi. Boasting beautiful artwork reminiscent of some old-school anime, and magnificent score pervaded by some goosebump-inducing traditional songs, The Last Fiction is an impressive calling card for its young director.
4. Tesla (Michael Almereyda, 2020) / Michael Almereyda takes a lot of risk in his latest offering, but it does pay off to have Anne Morgan (Eve Hewson, utterly magnetic) as a narrator recommending some Google search, Thomas Edison (Kyle MacLachlan, as reliable as ever) pulling out a smartphone at the World’s Fair, the pulsating 80s synthpop portending the encounter of Sarah Bernhardt and Nikola Tesla, and the great scientist (subtly portrayed by Ethan Hawke in a hushed voice) heartbreakingly singing the cover of Tears for Fears' Everybody Wants to Rule the World in his final dream. He also opts for some bold stylistic choices, such as the extensive use of rear projections, delivering a witty, playful, formally exciting biopic in which cinematic artifice and philosophical dialogues go hand in hand, with the boundary between facts and legends completely blurred.
5. Island Songs (Baldvin Z & Ólafur Arnalds, 2017) / Joining forces with filmmaker Baldvin Zophoníasson, the young and talented Icelandic composer Ólafur Arnalds delivers a lovely mélange of a music album and a documentary, 'painting' a heartfelt portrait of his homeland through collaborations with fellow artists living in different parts of the island. In-between the seemingly impromptu interviews, they immerse you into particular 'sonic fantasies' supported by softly lit visuals, and performed with so much gusto that you almost feel the notes reaching your inner self...
6. Beasts Clawing at Straws (Kim Yong-hoon, 2020) / Based on Keisuke Sone’s novel of the same name, Beasts Clawing at Straws is a pretty impressive feature debut for Kim Yong-hoon whose tightly adapted screenplay and sure-handed direction give the impression of a far more experienced helmer. Structured like Pulp Fiction and often soaked in neon lights providing a multitude of visually pleasing shots, this darkly humorous neo-noir revolves around a Louis Vuitton bag full of money which has a colorful band of characters, from a struggling sauna janitor to a psychopathic loan-shark's henchman, pulled into a twisted game of greed. A lot of double-crossing and back-stabbing ensues, and we've all seen that countless times before, yet Yong-hoon and his great ensemble cast keep us glued to the screen, entertained by even the most dangerous of the 'beasts'.
7. Sputnik (Egor Abramenko, 2020) / An ambitious and confident debut from Egor Abramenko, Sputnik is an intriguing mixture of character (melo)drama, social commentary, retro sci-fi, creature feature and body horror that wears its influences, from Alien to X-Files to Arrival, pretty close to its sleeve, yet still manages to maintain a certain level of freshness (and even authenticity). The exquisite monster effects, Maxim Zhukov's attention-grabbing cinematography and the slick, austerely beautiful production design that sends us back in time to 1983 USSR provide some memorable visuals, whereby Oleg Karpachov's ominously brooding score establishes a dense, immersive atmosphere. The leading duo of Oksana Akinshina (of the Lilya 4-ever fame) and Pyotr Fyodorov (whom you might've seen in Sarancha, the first Russian erotic thriller) command the screen with strong performances, and Fedor Bondarchuk seems to have a whale of a time behind the super-serious façade of the story's true villain.
8. Amulet (Romola Garai, 2020) / Garai's slow-burning horror debut is stubbornly, yet admirably ambiguous for most of its running time, its mystery looming over you long after the 'big reveal' which is followed by a highly memorable bizarro finale. Its forte lies in well-rounded performances by an ensemble cast and handsome visuals.
9. Muse: Simulation Theory (Lance Drake, 2020) / With an arcade machine acting as an interdimensional portal, multiple 'simulations' collide in Muse’s spectacular 2019 concert transformed into a flamboyant sci-fi film which pays a loving homage to the 80s and eerily corresponds with our times, questioning our perception of reality. Despite the on-the-nose metaphors, weak recent songs and 'vanity project' vibes, Simulation Theory is an impressive, if a bit over-produced feat which probably already enjoys the cult status amongst the most avid of the band's fans.
10. All the Gods in the Sky (Quarxx, 2018) / A visceral, genre-bending study of guilt that leaves you with a lasting impression, even though it tends to stretch the viewer's suspension of disbelief a bit too thin.

LOCARNO TOP 5

1. O Black Hole! (Renee Zhan, 2020)

2. Cloud of the Unknown (Gao Yuan, 2020)

3. Spotted Yellow (Baran Sarmad, 2020)

4. The End of Suffering (A Proposal) (Jacqueline Lentzou, 2020)

5. 1978 (Hamza Bangash, 2020)

SHORT FILMS

1. Nectar (Lucile Hadžihalilović, 2014)

2. The Last Dinosaur – Wholeness and the Implicate Order (Aniket Dutta, 2020)

3. LOST HOUSES ( I am not ) (Roland Quelven, 2014)

4. The Lost Trace (Debraj Naiya, 2020)

5. Imaginarium of the Unknown Traveler (David King, 2020)

6. Light Ghazal (Marie Craven, 2018)

7. In the Night (Brian Ratigan, 2018)

8. UNIVERSAL EAR: A Flea Orchestra In Your Ear (Graeme Cole, 2012)

9. The Asphodel Phases (Edwin Rostron, 2019)

10. The Mayflower (Chris Goodman, 2017)