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Jerusalem: City of Faith and Fury (2021)
When did Saul, David and Solomon become actual historical perons?
It was stunning and very confusing to see a series of legendary accounts treated by actual grown-up scholarly talking heads as if they were real history. There is no extra-biblical evidence for a Saul, David, Solomon and all the other characters like Goliath (fairy tale of the brave little giant killer motif) and Uriah (Bellerophonic letter motif). While those tales are epic and entertaining, they should not have been treated as bona fide historical events, which constitutes an insult to the intelligence of the viewers. Israel Finkelstein, chairman of the Archaeology Department at Tel Aviv University, and biblical archaeologist Neil Asher Silberman have written a scholarly opus entitled "The Bible Unearthed." They show that during the early tenth century, Judah and Jerusalem were under populated centers incapable of supporting a Davidic empire; therefore, at best, David and his heirs were no more than local chieftains. The talking heads should have made it clear that the historicity of those events is sketchy at best. Instead, they made us watch a mini-biblical epic featuring lust, rape and the sadism of Solomon.
Muhtesem Yüzyil (2011)
Great fun until Hürrem Sultan changed from gorgeous Meryem Uzerli into old hag played by Vahide Gördüm
Knowing the Ottoman history quite well, I was enjoying the series, indulging in the outrageous telenovela as if gorging nonstop on doner kebab and kanafeh. I was drawn to the series because I am Ukrainian and know very well the saga of the Ruthenian lass who was kidnapped by Tatars, sold into slavery and overcame harrowing obstacles to rise to power as no woman in Turkish history had ever risen. Meryem Uzerli was particularly engaging as Suleyman's beloved with her expressive, mischievous features, the big blue eyes, the cascades of ruddy tresses, the throaty and infectious laugh. Alas, Meryem Uzerli was stricken with a bout of depression and left the series high and dry in medias res. It was most uncomfortable to witness the squirming and floundering of the plot caught in mid action. Finally, after some very improbable twists and turns, our Sultana returns, but after having been transformed into a hardened, shriveled, disgusting old harridan. Even her hair has become dull and drab and turned to stone. I am so disgusted and disappointed.
Roma (2018)
I am truly mortified and ashamed that I did not like this film
After having painfully slogged through this opus of the famous Mexican cinematographer, I hastened to check out the reviews. To my chagrin, the film has been showered with bouquets of lavish praise for the meticulous artistry of the camera, the painstaking attention to detail, the honesty of the actors, the juxtaposition of scenes, the acerbic and incisive social commentary. All that is good and well, but my reaction was of puzzlement and discomfort. Is that the intent of the director? Then he succeeded brilliantly.
From the very onset, I was not happy about the lengthy fascination with the sloshing of water onto the pavement. Peering at the screen, I noted such details as the image of the plane in the reflection. Aha! The minute and the monstrous meet. However, it was a bloody bore. The anarchy of the story line was bearable but not very beguiling. Who were the two young native women? Were they sisters, as they called each other "manita?" Who were the children and the women in that large and confusing building? Was that the father who drove up in the large automobile? The relationships were very oblique. Is that how we are to perceive them in our real life?
To the film's credit, the social commentary was interesting enough, with the scenes of the rich set versus the indigenous poor folk during the Christmas celebrations. But who was that person in the costume who sang a song in a language which I could not make out? I did appreciate the reconstruction of the Santa Cruz massacre. The reenactment of Cleo's labour in the very large hospital did capture my full attention in its gripping pathos. However, the whole did not successfully integrate the sum of its parts. Regretfully, I cannot really appreciate Roma as much as the reviewers would want me to.
Duelyant (2016)
Confusion amidst concrete
As a Russophile, I have seen several excellent films made in that great land, including "Andrei Rublev," "Alexander Nevsky," "Ivan the Terrible," "Sadko," "Moscow Does Not Believe in Tears," "Burnt by the Sun." It seemed that "The Duellist" would be a respectable historical drama.I had read that in preparation Mizgirev had studied Ridley Scott's The Duellists (1977), a film that I admire. The story per se was intriguing, focusing on the nefarious and deadly career of a mercenary duellist at a time when such affaires d'honneur were quite frequent. The background of this mysterious and quasi occult character piqued my curiosity. Was he really a nobleman? Why was he found half dead by some natives who appeared to be Inuits? Who was paying the salary for the killings? Little by little, the facts emerged. However, they did so in a very scatterbrained manner. We find out about the flashback to the Aleutians in a later flashback which goes back further. We are never sure about his identity as he keeps telling different stories. Sadly, I was confused throughout the film and not very happy when some information was revealed because I could not be sure whether it was the truth or not. I still do not know why Count Beklemishev hated him so nor do I know why the particular victims were targetted. To add to the confusing morass of mystery after mystery, the sets were dismal to say the least, with a superabundance of concrete which reminded me of bunkers in some dystopia. The costumes were also lacking in brilliance. All in all, the atmosphere was rather dingy and sparse. I understand that this film emulates the 19th century genre of the city mysteries, as exemplified by Les Vrais Mystères de Paris (1844) by Eugène François Vidocq, a criminal who became a renowned criminologist. It is this dingy, rank and convoluted ambiance that Alex Mizgirev successfully transfers to his opus. It could have been a great film if not for the plot gaps and shabby sets.
The Legend of Alice Flagg (2016)
Newlyweds Julia and Rivers honeymoon at a charming, posh bread and breakfast which happens to be haunted by an unhappy ghost named Alice.
With the melancholy ghost story and the beautiful scenery as background, one would expect a chilling, thrilling yarn involving a solution of sorts to the sad dilemma of the haunted spirit doomed to search for her lost ring. Instead, I was totally nonplussed by the ensuing plot twist which hit me like a hurricane. What exactly is the relationship between certain characters? What prompted their behavior? What was the role of Janelle in the events? How naive and frustrating can Julia be? Why even have the ghost story as part of the plot except as an excuse for some eerie footage? I would love some explanation.