The
Dogville debate continued into this morning. We talked more about its “dog
eat dog” perception of America, and I tossed in Barton Fink as another
film that influenced its concept. (A naďve perception of the working class
portrays somebody who turns out to be a lot less innocent than thought – leading
to a blaze of violence.)
Today’s first screening was Mansion by the Lake, from Sri Lanka, directed
by Lester James Peries. Mansion was essentially a British class melodrama
played out in a foreign locale. The British influence could be seen throughout
the narrative of the film, and it was interesting to see how it was interwoven
into the fabric of the characters’ lives.
The basic premise followed an aristocratic family who’s gone broke and must
decide what to do about their family home. There wasn’t a great deal of tension
as different people plotted to get their way, but that’s not for a lack of
dramatic development. I just wasn’t sure whether I was supposed to root for
these wealthy people who didn’t earn their money and foolishly squandered it.
As in most British class melodramas, there was an inevitability to the
aristocrats’ undoing. They weren’t bad people. They just seemed self-centered.
And it was just a matter of time until they’d lose and the lower-class, in the
form of their old assistant turned wealthy business man, would lead the estate
toward the future.
Clint
Eastwood’s Mystic River was the first big deal at the festival. Everybody
showed up for it – Clint, Sean Penn, Tim Robbins, Kevin Bacon, Marcia Gay
Harden, novelist Dennis Lehane, and screenwriter Brian Helgeland. When they
first took the stage for the press conference, an army of photographers rushed
forward and their flashes made the room look like a discoteque.
I liked Mystic River. I think I’ll need to see it again to really be able
to judge it better. It was probably the most complex narrative Eastwood’s worked
with – in the sense that it’s a multi-character picture and his films usually
center around a specific hero. Also, this film had no heroes.
There’s been talk that Sean Penn will get an Oscar nod for his work here,
instead of 21 Grams, though I thought he was better in the latter film.
Here, his character ultimately accepted the role of being evil. In 21 Grams,
however, his character was a much more flawed existential human.
Mystic River was a pretty low-key film. But most of Eastwood’s efforts
have been. His style is humble and fairly naturalistic. Even though he usually
storyboards, his visuals are never intrusive and always exist to tell the story.
It’s interesting now that his most influential films are currently his old
Spaghetti Westerns. Dismissed in their day, their over the top approach to
violence and comic sensibilities have influenced everyone from Quentin Tarantino
to Robert Rodriguez and Jean-Pierre Junet. Ironically, as he’s matured as a
filmmaker, Eastwood has focused more on realistic films that contain a moral
point of view toward their fits of violence.
TOMORROW:
Pornography
Crimson Gold
Copyright 2003 Jamie Stuart