dvermeirre Reviews

Once Upon a Time in the West (1968)

More Kurosawa than John Wayne

[10/10 · 16 February 2005]

I remember seeing this picture as a kid. At the time, I could have described it as some of the coolest movie gunfight scenes separated by long stretches of ... nothing! I recently had the chance to see director's cut of Once upon a time in the West, and how different it seemed through the eyes of an adult. I was struck by how this was truly a movie about the most powerful and primal emotions: hate, lust, greed and revenge - mostly revenge. It' s the more like a Greek tragedy. Watching the movie, I felt that whatever the reasons why Leone had chosen a western genre (aesthetic, practical who knows?), the story was so universal it could have taken place anytime or anywhere. We feel we are in a universe much closer to Kurosawa's than John Wayne's. The violence in Once upon a time caused a sensation when the movie was first released. At the time, it was denounced as gratuitous, yet on viewing, one becomes aware of how fundamental it is to the movie. Sergio Leone displayed the themes with a brutality and raw energy which was only emerging in the movie mainstream (think Easy Rider, etc). This is definitely not your run of the mill western.

Le maître du Pérou (1958)

SPOILER A lost world

[3 August 2004]

Dansereau was a young director working at the NFB when he shot this three-part feature. Le Maître du Pérou is well-acted, well-shot and rests on a generally appealing, almost universal story. On its own, it is still likely to attract audiences. What makes it even more interesting for contemporary audiences is how it opens a window onto rural Quebec society in the period immediately preceding the "Quiet Revolution" of the sixties. The four sons are archetypes: The oldest son leaves for Abitibi, the second son is in seminary hoping to become a missionary priest, the third works up north (an interesting role for 'Albert Millaire' (qv)) in logging camps. The youngest son "Kiki", who works on the farm and is attracted to the girl next door, will eventually take over from his father. Dansereau uses his agronomist's character to challenge the way in which so much of Quebec was opened to farming and settlement. The female characters, while obviously not the focus of the story, help carry the story along and complete what all in all, amounts to a very pleasant fifty minute trip into the past.

Wodka Orange (1982)

Rebels

[7/10 · 6 May 2004]

Dad smokes. Dad drinks. A lot. In only a few minutes - this is a short - Deruddere builds an entire universe where both father and son rebel against their well-meaning family. The movie's bittersweet ending provides an excellent counterpoint to the rest of the movie. Not a pretty story, but very well crafted. Deruddere may not be Orson Welles, but this is the kind of movie many directors would be proud to include among their early works. If you come across it, it's well worth seeing!

The Jackpot! (1991)

Fun

[9/10 · 30 October 2003]

A good fun flick. Yes, it lacks the flashiness of american remake, but the dialogue and characters alone are worth it. The interaction between the crusty Albert and slick François is great. You could say that, after Le diner de cons, Le placard, Les ripous and La totale, Lhermitte may be typecast as the guy who's too smart for his own good, but he does it so well!