February 5, 2025 • 54 mins
**Host:** Alex First
**Guest Critics:** Jaqui Hammerton, Sandy Greg King Peter Krause
**Episode Summary:**
In this compelling episode of First on Film & Entertainment, host Alex First is joined by critics Jaqui Hammerton, Sandy Greg King and Peter Krause for a vibrant discussion on the cinematic landscape, focusing on the much-anticipated film *The Brutalist*. The critics share their insights on the film's potential to sweep the Oscars, with a lively debate on its merits and the impact of its lengthy runtime of 215 minutes, which includes a unique intermission. The conversation delves into the film's narrative, exploring themes of resilience and the struggles faced by the protagonist, Laszlo Tothe, portrayed by Adrian Brody. The critics highlight the film's exploration of architecture and its raw depiction of elitism and racism, sparking a rich dialogue about the portrayal of historical figures and the emotional weight of their stories. As the episode unfolds, the critics also touch on *A Complete Unknown*, a biopic about Bob Dylan, praising its authenticity and the performances of Timothée Chalamet and Monica Barbaro. The episode wraps up with a discussion on *Maria*, a film depicting the final days of opera legend Maria Callas, which brings forth mixed reviews from the panel regarding its tone and character representation. Listeners can expect a blend of passionate critiques, insightful commentary, and a deep dive into the art of storytelling in film.
**Highlights:**
- **The Brutalist:** A thought-provoking exploration of resilience and artistry, with strong performances and a gripping narrative structure. The critics debate its Oscar potential and the significance of its intermission.
- **A Complete Unknown:** A captivating portrayal of Bob Dylan's early career, featuring outstanding performances and a rich musical backdrop that resonates with both fans and newcomers.
- **Maria:** A controversial depiction of the opera diva's final days, prompting discussions on the film's focus and the portrayal of its titular character.
Join the First on Film & Entertainment team for an engaging episode filled with lively discussions and cinematic insights. Tune in next week for more film reviews and cultural commentary!
https://www.bitesz.com/show/first-on-film-entertainment/
www.bitesz.com
**Sponsor:**
www.bitesz.com/nordvpn
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/first-on-film-entertainment--5645288/support.
**Guest Critics:** Jaqui Hammerton, Sandy Greg King Peter Krause
**Episode Summary:**
In this compelling episode of First on Film & Entertainment, host Alex First is joined by critics Jaqui Hammerton, Sandy Greg King and Peter Krause for a vibrant discussion on the cinematic landscape, focusing on the much-anticipated film *The Brutalist*. The critics share their insights on the film's potential to sweep the Oscars, with a lively debate on its merits and the impact of its lengthy runtime of 215 minutes, which includes a unique intermission. The conversation delves into the film's narrative, exploring themes of resilience and the struggles faced by the protagonist, Laszlo Tothe, portrayed by Adrian Brody. The critics highlight the film's exploration of architecture and its raw depiction of elitism and racism, sparking a rich dialogue about the portrayal of historical figures and the emotional weight of their stories. As the episode unfolds, the critics also touch on *A Complete Unknown*, a biopic about Bob Dylan, praising its authenticity and the performances of Timothée Chalamet and Monica Barbaro. The episode wraps up with a discussion on *Maria*, a film depicting the final days of opera legend Maria Callas, which brings forth mixed reviews from the panel regarding its tone and character representation. Listeners can expect a blend of passionate critiques, insightful commentary, and a deep dive into the art of storytelling in film.
**Highlights:**
- **The Brutalist:** A thought-provoking exploration of resilience and artistry, with strong performances and a gripping narrative structure. The critics debate its Oscar potential and the significance of its intermission.
- **A Complete Unknown:** A captivating portrayal of Bob Dylan's early career, featuring outstanding performances and a rich musical backdrop that resonates with both fans and newcomers.
- **Maria:** A controversial depiction of the opera diva's final days, prompting discussions on the film's focus and the portrayal of its titular character.
Join the First on Film & Entertainment team for an engaging episode filled with lively discussions and cinematic insights. Tune in next week for more film reviews and cultural commentary!
https://www.bitesz.com/show/first-on-film-entertainment/
www.bitesz.com
**Sponsor:**
www.bitesz.com/nordvpn
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/first-on-film-entertainment--5645288/support.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
First on Film and Entertainment, and we have got the
whole gang together. We have got Jackie Hamilton, Sandy k
Greg King, Peter Krause, and yours truly, Alex first, and
we are going to do this in a very special
way because the film that will win the Oscar for
Best Film and also Best Director and also Best Actor
(00:20):
is where we should be starting now. I want to
see whether there's any argument from any of you that
the Brutalist will win at least those three awards. Does
anyone want to put their hands up and say no,
they disagree they won't win those Oscars?
Speaker 2 (00:36):
Sandy, Okay, so now I think it.
Speaker 3 (00:39):
Probably will win, but my argument would be that it
should not.
Speaker 2 (00:43):
Okay, well, that's a different argument. When we'll get that,
we'll get to that and down. Okay, okay, so the
rest of you, you all agree those three?
Speaker 4 (00:53):
Possibly, I think Conclaves now has an inside running for
Best Film.
Speaker 2 (01:00):
When you say now has base, yes, it's.
Speaker 4 (01:04):
Based on a report from Variety where they interviewed a
number of the AMPASS voters and many of them pass.
Speaker 2 (01:11):
Sorry, a lot of people won't know what AMPASS is.
Speaker 4 (01:14):
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and scientists. They run
the oscars, and so the eleven thousand members of ampass
part of the OSCAR voting. And so what variety have
found is that the excitement for the brutalist has calmed
a little bit.
Speaker 1 (01:33):
Okay, all right, well I'd still be stunned if it didn't.
So talking about that, let's start there, because it's a
very long movie. We're talking two hundred and fifteen minutes,
which translates to what's that one hundred and eighty thirty
five minutes? And the important part of this and I
really really like this, and I wonder whether you agree
(01:54):
with me and our forty minutes in there is an
intermission and there is a countdown clock. Now I happen
to Seed at the Classic Cinema and in Elston week
in Melbourne, and every well, I think eighty five percent
of the cinema left, basically, and then there was a
Q outside the bathroom. Sure, we say, and you've got
to get back on time, because the fifteen minutes is
indeed just that.
Speaker 2 (02:15):
Now that that's sort of old style.
Speaker 1 (02:18):
I don't know how far back we go when inhibitions
were common in long movies. Peter, you were around about
the seventeen hundred, so you'd probably remember when. Yeah, so when,
because there were quite a number of movies that used
to have missions. And I mean, I think it's really
indulgent on the past part of most directors that they
have long movies without a break. And I'm not just
(02:38):
talking about people who are of a certain age and
need a bathroom break.
Speaker 2 (02:42):
But it's a long sit right, whether it's a theater,
whether it's anything. So any admissions are done. Good idea,
But we're probably going back, what.
Speaker 4 (02:51):
To the fifties Peter Well Ten Commandments, Cleopatra.
Speaker 5 (02:57):
From Arabia, Gone with the Wind?
Speaker 2 (02:59):
Yes, did God with the Wind have an indission? Did it? Okay?
Speaker 4 (03:04):
In some cinemas in the US certainly did have an intermission?
Speaker 6 (03:07):
Yes, okay, So I thought I saw I saw in
a small countrytown and I had an intermission.
Speaker 2 (03:13):
Too, Okay, And now I think it's a darn good idea.
Speaker 1 (03:16):
Do you Does anybody disagree that any movie that's over
a certain length of time, and you know, you can
nominate two and a half or three hours, should have
an indimission?
Speaker 2 (03:25):
Do we all agree on that? I don't like the
words should.
Speaker 3 (03:29):
I would like.
Speaker 7 (03:29):
Them to actually let you know at the start that
there will be one, because when we went to the
previews screening, I wasn't aware that there would be and
I was kind of debating or should I duck out?
Now when's a good time there? Are you happy when
an intermission, you know, surprisingly came up? And also if
(03:50):
at it, like Greg mentioned a country town, then in
the smaller venues, it's a great idea for people to
pop out and help candy bar takings, I think.
Speaker 1 (03:58):
Well, it's it's that's It's funny you talk about that
because with theater, sometimes relatively short plays have an intermission
for that very reason. Okay, Now, having said that, it's
extremely frustrating when you're seeing something that isn't very long
and they do stick an into mission into it.
Speaker 2 (04:17):
So I mean, I'm having a bet both ways here.
Speaker 1 (04:20):
But with regards to a long movie, you know, I
gave it a point just just for that.
Speaker 2 (04:24):
I thought that was a terrific It was an innovative
way of looking at it.
Speaker 1 (04:28):
Because we've seen in the past twelve months, we've seen
quite a few movies that are very long. We've seen
some other movies that are close enough to three hours,
haven't we From recollection and Greg in the past year a.
Speaker 4 (04:41):
Few.
Speaker 2 (04:42):
Yeah, don't get so excited when you're talking to me, Greg,
It's fantastic, Okay. Now, having said that, the narrative in.
Speaker 1 (04:49):
This movie the brutalless very richly woven tale of pain
and perseverance.
Speaker 2 (04:54):
It unfolds in a couple of parts.
Speaker 1 (04:56):
You've got the first one, which is called the Enigma
of Arrival, and the second hardcore of Beauty, and then
there's an epilogue, and boy, that is quite an eye opener,
so you.
Speaker 2 (05:07):
Certainly wouldn't be leaving before looking at that epilogue.
Speaker 1 (05:10):
The centerpiece is a lauded Hungarian Jewish architect called Laslow Toss,
a role filled by Adrian Brody, and despite hardship, he
survives the Holocaust, but he separated from his wife, who's
the English equivalent name is Elizabeth, played by Felicity.
Speaker 2 (05:28):
Jones, and the young niece of.
Speaker 1 (05:31):
Both Elizabeth and Laslow, whose name is Sophia Rafficassidy, is
the actor.
Speaker 2 (05:38):
Cast in that role.
Speaker 1 (05:39):
We find out more about what they endured in the
film's climax. Now, after the war, with nothing left till
in nineteen forty seven, Laslow manages to find safe passage
to the United States, and he goes to live and
work with his cousin Attila Alessandro Navola and with Attila's wife,
Audrey Emma Laird, run a small furniture shop in Philadelphia,
(06:03):
and it's also where Laslow receives word that Elizabeth and
Sophia also manage to see out the war, meant he
naturally hopes he'll be reunited with him. So Attela accepts
a special design commission from a man called Harry Lee
Duren played by Joel Olwen, who's the son of a
wealthy industrialist called Harrison. So the son is Harry, the
(06:26):
father is Harrison, and Harrison is a role filled by
Guy Pearce, and it appears to be a golden ticket,
this design commission, but that job sets him train an
ongoing turbulent association between Laslow and Harry and Harrison.
Speaker 2 (06:42):
So there's real tension in that relationship throughout.
Speaker 1 (06:46):
And despite Laslow's creative brilliance, despite his passion, he also
battles a long term drug addiction. So this is a
movie that is epic in nature, and it's a real
portrait of elitism and racism.
Speaker 2 (07:00):
Notwithstanding his achievements, and his acumen. Leslow's forever considered an
outsider who is not embraced by many and who can
be discarded at will.
Speaker 1 (07:11):
So power plays in The Brutalist are plentiful the movie itself.
When I was watching this and Jackie, I think I
spoke to you, I think it was after. I don't
know whether it was before or after, but I really
believed that we were seeing a biopic. I hadn't read
anything about it, like you, Peter.
Speaker 2 (07:29):
I don't like sort of reading about a movie or
show before I see it, and I could swear this
was real. And yet when I went to look at
it sort of in terms of investigative investigating the movie afterwards,
I found out that was actually inspired by several real
life architects and designers, and it's really meant to be
(07:50):
a bit of a celebration of the triumphs and of
the most daring and accomplished visionaries.
Speaker 1 (07:56):
Now, obviously it's very gritty, but that was the intent.
And it's been co written with Moana Fastfold by the
director Brady Corvett, who did Vox Lux.
Speaker 2 (08:05):
I remember that movie that goes back what six or
seven years years? Seven years?
Speaker 1 (08:09):
Yeah, it's quite I found the brutless remarkable, insightful and distressing.
And bear in mind that Adrian Brody has already won
an Oscar for the Pianist back in two thousand and three.
He won the Best Actor Oscar on that occasion, and
I reckon he delivers hugely again, and he really does
inhabit the tortured soul of laslow Doth like a second skin,
(08:32):
and he im views Intoth this strong sense of self belief.
So he's resourceful, he's proud, he's arrogant, combative, and also
deeply troubled. And the other performance, I mean really memorable,
turning the movie not as big a role, but still significant.
Felicity Jones quite stoic and resolute as his long suffering
(08:52):
wife Elizabeth, who continues to endure, and she comes across
as intelligent and well considered in the face of physical
and mental anguish. Now Guy appears, It'll be interesting to
see whether he secures.
Speaker 2 (09:07):
It's a very strong role.
Speaker 1 (09:08):
I mean, he brings bigoted privilege to the mega rich
Harrison who's prone to fits of peak. And visually there
is a grittiness to what we see. The cinematographies by
Lord Crawley who also shot White Noise, and I thought
quite something of the dynamic and dramatic score from Daniel Bloomberg.
So I found it unforgettable. I thought it was bold,
(09:30):
I thought it was brilliant, and I thought it was
a captivating production and unquestionably the finest movie of the
last twelve months.
Speaker 2 (09:38):
So Jackie, I.
Speaker 1 (09:39):
Know that when you saw it, you actually said to
me you wanted to see it again, So it obviously
moved you talk to me about your perceptions of the brutalist.
Speaker 7 (09:50):
Well, that was the first thing I thought as soon
as I saw it. First thing was I did the
same as you. I went rushing to Wikipedia to drug
fight and it was actually a true story and because
I honestly thought it could have could well have been.
And the second thing was, yes, I need to see
this again. Unfortunately I haven't had the opportunity yet, but
(10:10):
I still definitely well, even though today's check is some
really the point of having seen it, I like you
felt right from the opening stand this was going to
be a real feel of a sweeping epic, you know,
a kind of a big screen story kind of unfold
(10:32):
over time, really dig deep into these characters, and we
got what it seemed to be right from the start.
It comes not just from the direction. I think the
main thing that comes from is, you know, deep in ADM.
Brody just draws it out. He's you know.
Speaker 2 (10:52):
He can't put a foot wrong.
Speaker 7 (10:53):
This actor total a list or in everything he's ever done,
I think, as far as I've seen.
Speaker 2 (10:59):
Anyway, Sorry, let's me ask you a question, Jackie. It's funny.
Speaker 1 (11:03):
There are some actors I totally agree with your assessment.
Who is the actor Daniel da Lewis who gave up acting?
He was another in that category. I mean, there are
very few in this pantheon of actors that they tackle
roles and you just know that they are going to
be OSCAR nominated roles. Are you The immersion that they
(11:24):
have in their characters is a touch above and the
way they carry their roles.
Speaker 2 (11:30):
That's my view of it, Jackie, keep going please.
Speaker 5 (11:33):
He just lifts it.
Speaker 7 (11:34):
And along with that is normally Guy Piers. I've got
to admit, not my favorite actor. He I find him
pretty stilted and wouldn't but in this role, of course,
as the industrialist, you need a stilted, wooden person. So
he was. Actually it was actually made for him. I thought,
(11:55):
I thought he was very good in it as Harrison,
but so.
Speaker 1 (11:58):
Long to be interjected and we can't speak about it's
still sort of the best part of a month away.
But there's a new Australian movie called Inside with Guy
Pears as the if not lead, the co lead, and
it's a very different role. So it'll be fascinating when
you go and see that movie, Jackie to have that
comparison to the Guy, because I think he does really
(12:19):
good job of it, but it's a very different characterization.
Speaker 2 (12:24):
I find he's guy.
Speaker 7 (12:25):
Pers in almost everything he does, but in this case,
you know, he is great. But one of the overriding
things for me about The Brutalist was it's actually about architecture,
which I just love, and I love the immersion in that,
and I love the obsession with it. In fact, in
a way, the obsession with architecture and this project that
(12:46):
goes on through the second half of the film almost
almost get a reminder there of another film that we
might get to talk about that's just start open to
called A Complete Unknown with Bob Dylan, about Bob Dylan's
obsession with music. So there's a very similar you know, creativity.
Speaker 5 (13:08):
That comes out of these people.
Speaker 7 (13:10):
And I just really enjoyed the way this post war brutal,
brutalist architecture was explored too, and you know, the shock
and the you know, getting to know it, and that's
there was a lot to you know, just not like
about this film, but actually really feel deeply about I thought,
(13:33):
and as well as the relationships with the power struggle
that comes to quite a ghastly climax at one point,
shall we say? And yeah, so big one for me?
Speaker 1 (13:45):
Yeah yeah, So I mean the movie itself, if you
take out the fifteen minute indission, three hours twenty minutes.
Speaker 2 (13:51):
I wasn't troubled by the running time at all? Were
you not?
Speaker 5 (13:54):
At all?
Speaker 4 (13:55):
No?
Speaker 7 (13:55):
I like a long film.
Speaker 2 (13:57):
Don't have a hard enough Well, Peter, you like long film,
z Peter.
Speaker 1 (14:00):
You know if the film went for twelve hours, you'd
still be sitting there right, You wouldn't have gotten out
of your seat.
Speaker 2 (14:06):
So what did you think of the Brutalist Look? I
liked it very much.
Speaker 4 (14:10):
It is an impressive film. I'm not quite as enamored
by it as other people are, even though it is
very impressive. I mean, for example, early in the film,
there is some clunky dialogue at times, which I felt
could have been refined a little bit more, because the
first act does go on a little bit, and what
(14:30):
Corbet has used is some rather unusual camera angles to
sort of mimic the sort of the brutalist style of architecture.
Speaker 2 (14:39):
I suppose.
Speaker 4 (14:40):
So look, I thought that was great. Some cinemas are
screening the original VistaVision print of the film. VistaVision was
a widescreen format that was introduced in the nineteen fifties,
was very short lived, and Corbet wanted to reinvigorate Vista
VI just to show the wide elements of how he
(15:04):
shot the film. And I thought that was very effective.
Guy Pierce, Yes, I agree, is very good. He won't
win the Oscar though Kieran Culkin has that sewn up
for a real pain. But I think the performances are
very good.
Speaker 2 (15:17):
Overall.
Speaker 4 (15:19):
I think it goes too much into the financial sort
of aspects and not enough into the architectural aspects of
what brutalism is. Yes, I know it's not a buyer
pick of a real person. It's an amalgam of a
number of architects who worked in the brutalist sort of fashion. Look,
(15:40):
there's a lot to admire in the film. I liked
it very much, However, I wasn't one hundred percent enamored
by it.
Speaker 2 (15:50):
Fair enough, Well, I mean we should talk a little bit.
Speaker 1 (15:54):
You've touched on it in terms of the brutalist architecture
and what that style is.
Speaker 2 (16:00):
Really.
Speaker 1 (16:01):
It emerged to me during the fifties, didn't it. I
mean from recollection sort of reconstruction projects.
Speaker 2 (16:08):
Of the post war era. It was sort of UK based.
That's my understanding. Do you have a different understanding. I
mean that's largely true.
Speaker 4 (16:17):
America adopted it very quickly too, with its skyscrapers and
the sort of approach that it's all very tough sort
of architecture. It all looks quite awful on the surface,
but of course it contained some great designs internally.
Speaker 1 (16:36):
Yeah, it was sort of I believe that it sort
of was a reaction against the nostalgia of architecture in
the nineteen forties.
Speaker 2 (16:44):
That's sort of sort from the modernist movement. That's kind
of where it emerged from.
Speaker 1 (16:50):
Because I don't think when you look at the title,
even though if you don't make the association, I think
you'd come out of it and say, well, why is
it called the brutalist if you don't make the link
to the architecture, so unpleased.
Speaker 2 (17:04):
At least we've discussed that, now, Okay, it was a.
Speaker 7 (17:07):
Post war when the economic times they didn't have, you know,
the money for fancy buildings.
Speaker 2 (17:14):
Yes, it was, that's true. Yeah, very well, put Jackie,
because if you look at the style, if you look
at what Laslow is, I'm sorry, the use of concrete,
the use of concrete.
Speaker 1 (17:26):
Yes, it's very it's very simple and in some respects,
mind you, the centerpiece of it. I thought again, the
use of the sun and all that sort of stuff
was pretty pretty special, quite frankly. Now, okay, let's go
to you Greg in terms of your thought process.
Speaker 2 (17:45):
You just saw it recently, didn't you.
Speaker 6 (17:46):
Yeah. I went and saw it on the forty two
degree day at the Nova Cinema, four hours in the shade.
Speaker 2 (17:52):
Yes, very clever of you. Okay, so did you.
Speaker 5 (17:54):
Definitely.
Speaker 6 (17:55):
But I'm not as enamor of this film as you are.
It's or anyone else you're not or you, I'm not
asid commandment. I much preferred a complete unknown for me
as a better film anyway. But the Brutal is a
film that certainly deserves to be seen on the big
screen anyway, because it looks good as in a bold
and ambitious film, addressing a lot of weighty scenes which
(18:18):
I already mentioned, you know, the immigrant experience, that sense
of cultural displacement, and the.
Speaker 5 (18:23):
Sarah American dream and lots more there.
Speaker 6 (18:26):
And there's even some usual footage in here that gives
us some insight into this industrial period of America in
this era there. But I thought Kobby's Cobbett's direction was
a bit unhurried the film like the sense of urgency.
The production design certainly gave us a strong sense of
place there, and loal crawl is west taking and often
bleak cinematography.
Speaker 5 (18:46):
He captures some sark imagery of.
Speaker 6 (18:48):
These architectural structures, and as I think you've mentioned, they're
often shot from strange and just orientine that just orienting
di orienting angles. And I thought the color palette gave
the with a little bit of a gritty edge too.
Probably called the Brutalist because of its punishing run time.
Speaker 2 (19:04):
Actually and ju USh, yeah, thank you.
Speaker 5 (19:10):
I thought the.
Speaker 6 (19:10):
Leagues were really but you all spoken about that how
this Ronie and Peers had probably never been better in
their careers.
Speaker 5 (19:18):
Brady captures Leaslow's fraud character.
Speaker 6 (19:20):
He immerses himself in his driven nature, his addictions, his paranoia,
his ambition and arrogance, and even his pain. James was
also strong as the long suffering there's a bet capturing
her intelligence and storied nature.
Speaker 2 (19:33):
And I thought, I mean, sorry, Greg, let me just
seem to introdect.
Speaker 1 (19:36):
You've called it Isabit, which is actually her name I
used just so people won't get confused. The English equivalent
was Elizabeth, right, so it's a bit Elizabeth.
Speaker 2 (19:46):
Sorry, keep going.
Speaker 6 (19:47):
And I thought he's bought an early qualities of his
performances to suave but bitter than Van Buren there, and
he gave this character a sinister edge here. Now my
things on the title of Brutalist, it does refer to
Leslow's character through his love of concrete and no stark
billings here, but to also refer to Van Buren's character
because of some of his actions here, his nasty, tingy
(20:10):
as yeah, and also the fact that he sort of
likes to be in control.
Speaker 5 (20:14):
Dominating and master with his own universe. So there you go.
But yeah, sorry, but the.
Speaker 6 (20:20):
Film with his punishing, run time, epic sweep and what
are he seems?
Speaker 5 (20:24):
And blinked Outlook, there's something you have a sloved to
sit through.
Speaker 6 (20:27):
And I must admit the second half of Me fell away,
and I found my mind wandering a little bit during
this second half of the film, which I found not
as compelling as the first half, and I felt that
the film lost its.
Speaker 2 (20:38):
Way by the end. Really it's interesting, Okay, I disagree
with that. What about the epilogue because I thought the
epilogue was really eye opening?
Speaker 6 (20:45):
Mystery is good but basically no, no, okay, didn't know it?
Speaker 1 (20:49):
Now, Okay, Sandy, you have also seen the Brutalis, so
we're on this pantheon all this line from brilliant to
sort of Okay, do you see it?
Speaker 2 (21:01):
Well?
Speaker 8 (21:02):
I think it's a bit better than okay, and quite
a let loss a lot less than brilliant.
Speaker 2 (21:07):
I did.
Speaker 8 (21:08):
I don't want to go on too long about it,
because I think we've all talked about it. But I
think if you walk in there with high expectations, as
I did, you are bound to be disappointed. If you
were lucky enough to see it without any expectations, I'm
sure you'll be pleasantly surprised. I'm not particularly into architecture.
I think Adrian Brody does a great job in his role.
(21:31):
I hated Guy Pierce. I thought he acting was absolute shite,
So I didn't I think it could have been cut
by at least half an hour or forty five minutes.
And I don't have any problem with long movies, particularly
if they have an intermission. But it didn't hold my
attention the whole way. I thought there were long, long
holes on shots that weren't necessary, that didn't really connect
(21:53):
to my emotions at all. I wasn't really drawn into it.
I can see what you're all talking about who love it,
But I think there are better movies out there for
the number one position on the Oscars for sure.
Speaker 2 (22:06):
Wow.
Speaker 1 (22:06):
Okay, m I rated two hundred and fifteen minutes, as
we've said, three hours thirty five, with a fifteen minute
in division one hour forty minutes in called the Brutal List.
So Sandy, let's start with you, because we'll get a
score out of ten, and this will be fascinating given
what you've just said.
Speaker 3 (22:22):
So we're well, I think i'll give it a seven.
Speaker 2 (22:26):
Yeah, okay, well that's not a bad mark. But it's
a it's not great, it's like slightly, it's like it's
sent me above average. But you know, Greg, Sorry, Greg,
you what about you?
Speaker 5 (22:39):
I'll do it ship chair in ten.
Speaker 2 (22:41):
Oh my golly, wow.
Speaker 5 (22:43):
The second half they just watched me in the second half.
Speaker 1 (22:46):
Sorry, gee whiz okay, Peter, nine out of ten for
me and Jackie.
Speaker 7 (22:54):
Well, can I just say, Greg, I noted that you
said you felt as though it left the sense of urgency,
but I don't think it was that kind of film,
So that didn't worry mate. When you already know that
it's going to be a long film, you're not really
expecting an urgent pace through the film, or at least
(23:15):
I wasn't, So that would be my reaction to what
you mentioned there, especially in the last second half. I
settled into it. And definitely a nine out of ten.
Speaker 2 (23:24):
From me for the Brutalist, right, and I'll go high
mark here, nine and a half out of ten for
the Brutalist. And I would urge people to see it
because it's a special piece of work.
Speaker 1 (23:38):
You are on jam and please contribute to the station.
Fifty four bucks a year gets you membership and yes,
we thrive on that because the station needs money to survive.
So if you feel so inclined, twenty four to seven
are programming hopefully a bit of intelligence, a bit of fun,
and lots of good music.
Speaker 2 (23:55):
So let's talk about.
Speaker 1 (23:57):
The movie that Jackie just referenced, a completeknown the Bob
Dylan part by opic, and it's emerated this one is
also a long film at two hours twenty one minutes
without an intermission.
Speaker 2 (24:09):
And also this.
Speaker 5 (24:09):
One didn't the time, A new one didn't bother me
at all. I was talked the whole time.
Speaker 2 (24:14):
But okay, so Greg, let me start there.
Speaker 1 (24:18):
You are a Bob Dylan fan, yes, no, but I
like some of his music, Okay, all right.
Speaker 6 (24:23):
So I've never seen him live, even though he's been
out here about four times.
Speaker 2 (24:27):
Okay, yeah, and you do go along and see quite
a bit of music. So okay.
Speaker 1 (24:31):
Having said that, do you think that if you do not,
if you're not a Bob Dylan fan, do you think
you can appreciate this movie and enjoy it?
Speaker 2 (24:40):
Yes you can.
Speaker 6 (24:41):
There's an enjoyable film, and a concentration about four years
of his life early career gives.
Speaker 5 (24:48):
It a strong focus. Now now, yeah, and the music's
great as well.
Speaker 1 (24:53):
Sandy, you are somebody who loves your music. Where does
Bob Dylan sit in your your.
Speaker 2 (24:59):
Head in terms of of talent? And are you interested
in him, you know, as a musician compared to others.
Speaker 8 (25:06):
The only the only album I like from Bob Dylan
is his very last one, this latest one that he
put out a couple of years ago. Now, I've never
been a fan of his music. I do like his poetry,
but I could never stand his voice. I think, in
my opinion, should have stuck to writing lyrics and maybe
maybe done a book rather than some whole bunch of songs.
(25:27):
But I get his appeal for people who could live
with that. I like this movie, although it was too
music driven for my taste.
Speaker 2 (25:37):
That's interesting. So it's too music driven where and a
lot of you a lot of what you like his music.
So yeah, but I don't like his music.
Speaker 8 (25:45):
I don't like very much from that folk era or
music wise. Maybe that's my age. I'm a little bit
too young for that era. But some of it I liked,
but there was.
Speaker 3 (25:57):
Yeah, I didn't really love the music all that much.
This I like the story, I liked the the his journey.
Speaker 8 (26:05):
I liked his kutzpah and and his confidence and his cheekiness.
Speaker 3 (26:10):
I didn't like the way he treated women, particularly.
Speaker 8 (26:14):
I didn't think that the woman, the actress playing Joan Baiers.
Speaker 3 (26:19):
Did that very well.
Speaker 8 (26:20):
In terms if she was much better looking than Joan
Baiers with whom Bob Dylan had a scene.
Speaker 2 (26:26):
I had no problem with that whatsoever, Sandy, you.
Speaker 3 (26:28):
Liked the way she looked, Yeah, okay, but it wasn't.
Speaker 2 (26:31):
Sorry, that's a very insisious thing to say. I thought
I thought her voice was extraordinary. I really did you
not think she had a good voice. I just didn't
like what they were singing.
Speaker 8 (26:42):
I mean, I just I kind of, you know, sat
there through the songs and wanted to get back to
the action.
Speaker 2 (26:48):
I like.
Speaker 3 (26:48):
I like.
Speaker 2 (26:50):
By the way we're talking about, Montice.
Speaker 1 (26:51):
Bbarro was what was the machine top Gun? The most
recent top Gun?
Speaker 2 (26:57):
Is that?
Speaker 7 (26:57):
Why?
Speaker 2 (26:59):
That's that's back of my head somewhere, Peter.
Speaker 1 (27:02):
Do you know whether Monica Bobaro was in the most
recent Top Gun movie?
Speaker 2 (27:07):
I don't know.
Speaker 4 (27:07):
I'd have to look it up.
Speaker 2 (27:08):
That's all right, No, no, no, that's fine. All right.
Speaker 1 (27:10):
Well, let's talk a little bit about the film. Just
so we've got a bit more of a context. So
it focuses, as Greg said, on what he did and
how he did it between nineteen sixty one and sixty five,
so it's a very finite.
Speaker 2 (27:22):
Period, the very early days.
Speaker 1 (27:24):
And he sort of arrives unannounced with a guitar in hand,
this nineteen year old kid, see me.
Speaker 5 (27:30):
Yeah, I'll just interrupted alis shoe whiten top gun Maverick.
Speaker 1 (27:34):
Oh, thank you, Greg, I appreciate our good Okay, yeah,
I don't know why, just yeah, okay. Now he seeks
out the legendary Woody Guthrie, who is in a veterans
hospital in New Jersey, and with Guthrie.
Speaker 2 (27:48):
Alongside him, is a fellow.
Speaker 1 (27:50):
So focusing here of renown in Pete Seeger and Dylan
plays Guthrie, who is in a really bad way. He's
unable to speak. He's actually got Huntingdon's disease. He plays
Guthrie a song that he wrote especially for him, and
both Segre and Guthrie immediately recognize his talent. Seger is
(28:11):
the one who actually opens doors for him, and without pretense,
with just raw talent, Dylan taps into the culture of
that time, and we're talking about eighty war and civil
rights activism being prominent. So the US is sort of
grappling with profound social, political, and cultural upheaval. Now Dylan's
rise is meteoric, so too is his discomfort with the
(28:34):
fandom that follows, notwithstanding his pleasure to receive the endorsement
of one of the biggest names at that time, Johnny
Cash and the film, and this is again where Sandy
references his relationships. The film explores Dylan's intimate relationship, so specifically,
it covers his time with an artist and freedom fighter
called Sylvie Russo.
Speaker 2 (28:54):
Now, I didn't better you might be able to explain
this than you usually go a little bit of depth there.
Speaker 1 (28:59):
Sylvie Russo is a surrogate for the real life Sues Rottolo.
So I don't understand why they wouldn't have used the Sues.
Speaker 2 (29:08):
Rottolo rather than Sylvie Russo.
Speaker 8 (29:10):
Do you have any understanding of pardon me, sus didn't
let them use her name.
Speaker 1 (29:15):
Some sort of some sort of legal Ah okay, all right,
thank you, I feel well informed now, So okay, So
there were those two characters. Joan Biezacus been the other,
and Dylan is very much painted as this wandering soul
who was sickle in affairs of the heart. And although
he was wholeheartedly embraced by the folk music movement, the
(29:38):
movie A Complete Unknown shows how he upset the status
quo by adopting the electric guitar. Right, that was a
no no as far as the folk movement was concerned.
So everything comes to a head at the nineteen sixty
five Newport Folk Festival. So you know, that's kind of
it's that's the zenith I feel like of.
Speaker 2 (29:57):
The film, and I really enjoyed it.
Speaker 1 (29:59):
I thought it was a really captured the essence of
one of the most accomplished singer songwriters in history. Co
written with Jay Cox, who did Silence, by the director
of the film James Mangold. Very fine directory actually for
Versus Ferrari was an excellent movie as well that he did,
and his dedication to authenticity I've found really impressive. The
look that the feel, the sound of the times all
(30:21):
captured very skillfully. And as Dylan wrote, dare I use
a cliche? The times they are a change. And the
actors and this is what really I thought that did
a brilliant job. They did their own singing and playing
and because of COVID. They basically had five years to
work on this and that really has paid off. Vocally,
(30:41):
they're awesome, and of course the music. While the music
is that, the hits and the lesson no numbers. And
I happen to be a huge Dylan fan, so I
don't need to say any more than that. But even
if you're not, I think this story is really beautifully told.
And Timothy Chalamay is quite luminous as the enigma that
is Bob Dylan. He's driven by the beat of his
own drum, and he's aloof he's restless, he's unrelenting.
Speaker 2 (31:05):
And you've got el Fanning wearing.
Speaker 1 (31:07):
Her heart on a sleeve of Silvie Russo, who time
and again had her heart broken, and her adoration and
her disappointment are clearly on show. And I've mentioned Monica
Babaro Melifluis that the tone in her voice she's I
found her quite what's the word revelatory as Baiaz Joan Bias.
(31:29):
I could readily lose myself in those golden tonsils any day.
I'd actually go to a concert that she gives. Her
voice is that powerful and that good. And I really
like Edward Norton as Pete Seeger painted as sort of
one of the good guys whose love of the art
form folk music knows no bounds. And Scoot McNairy is
(31:49):
is quite a tragic but revered figure as the ailing
Woody Guthrie and Boyd holbrook inbues Johnny Cash with muscularity.
So I reckon this is a very very fine James
Mangold is to be congratulated.
Speaker 2 (32:02):
Timothy Schelomy o'l.
Speaker 1 (32:04):
It captures the essence of a musical genius who refused
to be tamed.
Speaker 2 (32:09):
So let's start with you on this one, Peter, what
did you think of a complete Unknown?
Speaker 4 (32:15):
I was very impressed by the film because as a
biopic it wasn't afraid to be a warts and all
sort of characterization of Bob Dylan and the way he
did treat women, et cetera, which was very stand offish. Look,
it's remarkably well production designed. Certainly the sixties are really
(32:38):
well evoked, and all the actors, as you said, are excellentists,
especially the ones who singing for themselves rather than being dubbed.
And Chala Maay is superb the in the title role.
Was I really like this film I'm not a great
Bob Dylan fan, but I was impressed by the story
(32:59):
and by the characterization, and by the sixties time period
and how he slotted in to that time period. So yep,
I highly recommend a film.
Speaker 2 (33:10):
And Sandy, you start off with some remarks. What more
can you say about a complete unknown? Sandy? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (33:18):
Sorry, sorry, I really did like it. It's a great story.
Speaker 8 (33:23):
His life is super interesting, especially during that period, and
how you revolutionized the whole music industry is just fascinating.
I hated the casting of the guy who played Johnny Cash.
I thought that was really bad. But I will go
along with you with everybody else.
Speaker 3 (33:41):
Apart from apart from.
Speaker 2 (33:45):
What's her name?
Speaker 3 (33:47):
Was cast well to Baas.
Speaker 2 (33:50):
Thank you's character? You okay?
Speaker 8 (33:53):
Yeah, but I thought in saying that the acting is great,
the singing was great.
Speaker 3 (33:58):
I did. I did really enjoy it.
Speaker 8 (34:00):
And it's a long movie, but it didn't feel like
a long movie because he wanted to keep watching and
see what happened.
Speaker 2 (34:06):
That moved along very well.
Speaker 3 (34:07):
I enjoyed it.
Speaker 2 (34:08):
Now, Greg, you said you like this more than the Brutalist.
Speaker 6 (34:12):
Yes, I did, but there's any justification I reckon. Timothy
Shell May deserves an oscar, but there, yeah it he
in habits to carry with Bob John From the first
time you see him on the screen with that hat
carrying a guitar jacket, which is straight off one of
his album covers, you accept this is Bob Dylan, isn't.
Speaker 2 (34:31):
I mean we talked about great actors. Timothy shallow May
is certainly from I think it was twenty seventeen that
he came on board with Call Me by Your Name,
and boy did he announce himself.
Speaker 1 (34:42):
And it's hard to believe he's for such a strong career.
He's only a young guy, right, I mean we're relatively
young guy, so you know, he hasn't been around forever.
Speaker 2 (34:51):
But what he touches seems to turn the gold.
Speaker 1 (34:54):
And you know, I commend him for that because you
know he's had a huge impact, more than most his age,
don't you agree?
Speaker 6 (35:02):
Yeah, well, it's just amazing now that Adrian Radio wife
when he won his first oscart.
Speaker 2 (35:06):
Well, I believe he's only twenty nine, isn't Is that?
Speaker 6 (35:09):
So that was Aiding Rowe when he won his first
OSCU Yeah, okay, anyway, Look, we've had a number of
music bio pips in recent years things like Bohemian Rhapsody, Rocketman,
Elvis better Man, etcetera. But I think A Completely Unknown
is one of the best entries in this subgenre. And
the fact that it concentrates on one sort of pivotual
period in his life rather than following his entire story,
(35:31):
gives the film a stronger focus.
Speaker 5 (35:33):
And and if you're not a particular fan.
Speaker 6 (35:35):
Of Dylan Or's music, this is an absorbing biopic that
a chempt to capture the essence of this thing is
prickly elusive and reclusive personality there.
Speaker 5 (35:45):
And I thought Timothy Eacheller may.
Speaker 6 (35:48):
In Habits of Charactery highlights the contradictions and contrary nature
of Dyllian's character. He delivers his most impressive performance today,
I think. And the fact that he does his own
singing and he captures Dylan's, particularly the sinaty of Nasally style,
added to the film, I thought, and I agree ed.
Norton was superb as Seega, bringing an essential air of
distancing integrity to the character.
Speaker 5 (36:10):
I thought, even though you don't like even though.
Speaker 6 (36:12):
Sandy didn't like Boyd Hollbrook as Johnny Cashier, he did
capture his signature shotgun style guitar playing though, And I
like the film, I thought, and Peter's mentioned the period
detail is really beautifully done there. The cinematography immerses is
into this aesthetic of New York in the early sixties
where smoke, film, music clubs and all that kind of stuff.
Speaker 5 (36:34):
And I thought, I like chat Jank Mangol as a director.
Speaker 6 (36:36):
I think his mascularly direction and attention to detail worked
for this film.
Speaker 5 (36:40):
And the soundtrack is later with plenty of hits from
the era. So yeah, I like this film for me.
It's one of the rest films for the years so far.
Speaker 1 (36:49):
Now I want to ask you about Monica Barbara. You
haven't commented on her. That's saying he didn't sort of
appreciate this.
Speaker 5 (36:54):
All right, as John Bayers?
Speaker 2 (36:56):
Yeah, okay, fair enough. And what about sorry, Greg say.
Speaker 6 (37:00):
I've got nothing really about droned by his to compare
or with. So I'm sure she did with a job
of caption her mm hmm.
Speaker 1 (37:07):
The well Jackie, you and Dylan and what do what
do you think of at a complete unknown?
Speaker 2 (37:15):
I'm a Gyllan fan.
Speaker 7 (37:15):
I've seen him in Melbourne Live twice.
Speaker 5 (37:18):
Huh yeah, yeah. Did he have his back to when
he played sorry, did he did he have his back to.
Speaker 2 (37:25):
You when he played?
Speaker 7 (37:27):
Did he have his back to me when he played that?
Speaker 6 (37:31):
He has many times performed on stage and had his
back to your had his back to the audience.
Speaker 2 (37:36):
All the time.
Speaker 3 (37:37):
Oh, he didn't have another guy, isn't he?
Speaker 6 (37:40):
Yeah, when he was at Blues Fester about three or
four years three or four years ago.
Speaker 5 (37:45):
Apparently he's had his back to the audience the whole
time you play.
Speaker 1 (37:50):
So is that is that about the fandom thing that
is obviously captured that he does uncomfortable?
Speaker 5 (37:55):
Yeah? Yeah, or is a looseness on stage?
Speaker 2 (37:57):
Yeah? Okay.
Speaker 7 (38:02):
Excellent film. It captures that era, It captures the vibe
and the era and this young man sort of you know,
launching himself out into the music world. His obsession with
music is what.
Speaker 2 (38:16):
Really comes through in this film.
Speaker 7 (38:19):
And I think that you mentioned, you know, him being
thickle with women and that like he was nineteen twenty
twenty one, you know, you know a lot of young guys.
I didn't think it was I didn't think that said
his character so much. It showed what he was up to, yes,
but I didn't judge.
Speaker 2 (38:37):
Him really really Okay, that stuns me.
Speaker 1 (38:41):
Actually, because I must admit I have felt the same way,
ass Andy. I thought, you know what a heel I like,
clearly the amalgam character that he treated her shamefully. I
didn't think there was any excuse for that anyway.
Speaker 3 (38:58):
Yes, years old, you know.
Speaker 1 (39:02):
But okay, so I've got no idea. You know, I
don't know his background and how he was brought up,
et cetera, et cetera, but he kind of he sort
of stamped all over her, and I just didn't think
that was appropriate.
Speaker 2 (39:15):
But anyway, that's just me.
Speaker 7 (39:17):
Well, maybe he wasn't one hundred percent passionately in love
with her, and you know, there were intimate conversations that
this film doesn't make us privy toy. So anyway, that
didn't worry me so much. It was an interesting part
of his growth period here, and talking of it being,
as Peter said, just a very short period of his
(39:39):
life really intensified it for me. And I would see
this film again for every four year period of Pop
Kellen's life if it would done up spell as.
Speaker 2 (39:49):
Part seven of Villain's How Old is He Now? Is
eighty three or something? Right? Eighty five? Okay, So Jackie,
you can break that up for me? Shall you.
Speaker 5 (39:59):
Three? And so I'm going to interrupt. This film works
much better as.
Speaker 6 (40:03):
A film about Dylan that thing I'm not there, the
one where from Todd six differing great?
Speaker 7 (40:11):
I agree, yes, yeah, it's it's much more use of
frowd should we what?
Speaker 1 (40:16):
Do you have?
Speaker 5 (40:17):
An insightful I thought?
Speaker 2 (40:20):
Wonder? Sorry, both of you agree.
Speaker 1 (40:22):
One of the things that struck me though we talked
about this, that he had they had five years if
you like, in terms of perfecting their singing and whatever.
I think that was a luxury that you know, very
few filmmakers have, and it just because because of the times,
I think that made it a better film.
Speaker 2 (40:40):
Do you not agree with that? I'm tired, and I.
Speaker 6 (40:43):
Don't know whether the time made it a better film
or not. I think it's just the way to it
all hang together.
Speaker 2 (40:47):
It worked from the film in as much as obviously,
if you're going to suddenly adopt the singing of somebody
who still exists, that's a hell of a it's a
hell of an ask right not only to sing, but
to actually sing. In that same show, you've got.
Speaker 6 (41:05):
Bipits like better Man of Robin Williams who still around
Rocketman about Elton John who's still around, so that doesn't.
Speaker 2 (41:11):
Seem to be an issue. Okay, sorry, Jackie, please go ahead.
Speaker 3 (41:15):
I agree with you, Alex.
Speaker 7 (41:17):
I think that was one of the pivotal things about
this film that I was gobsmacked when I first heard
Timothy Chalomay singing with Dylan's voice. I was blown away.
I thought he was just spot on with that, and
it really showed a commitment to his craft in that,
(41:37):
and the guitar work as well, and the what's that
thing called the harmonica monitor work that he did as well.
Speaker 1 (41:45):
It very please you mention that, Jackie, because that really
was it was very special. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (41:51):
I agree, And of.
Speaker 7 (41:53):
Course it was also covered that period of time when
you know, as he rose in fame, you know, quite dramatic,
and was dealing with that to then turn his back
on folk music. This is a critical point of the
film to you know, sort of about two thirds through
and goes electric. You know, how his relationship with his
(42:16):
passionate huge following really turns there. That's I found that interesting.
But one thing I would.
Speaker 2 (42:23):
Have liked more of there.
Speaker 9 (42:24):
Was some uh some relationship with him finding his protest
voice and singing, and that becoming very popular in the
current we saw some of.
Speaker 7 (42:37):
The current affairs that was that on the TV usually
was where it came up. I would have liked even
more of that, you know, more setting in the times,
more of what was going on, and I think that
could have feeled me more. But but nevertheless it was
well done that way.
Speaker 2 (42:52):
No terrific.
Speaker 1 (42:53):
Okay, So let's get some scores. Let's start with you, Sandy,
Complete unknown. It's M rated. It's one hundred and forty
one minutes, two hours, twenty one score out of ten
eight eight out of ten.
Speaker 2 (43:05):
Okay, Greg Greek King.
Speaker 4 (43:07):
Nine out of ten, m Peter nine out of ten
from me, Jacqueline nine out of ten, and eight and
a half from me.
Speaker 1 (43:16):
Well, there's a strong consistency there that is most impressive.
A complete unknown on Jaya, you're talking to Alex First
and Jackie Hamilton, to Sandy Kay, to Peter Kraus and
to Greg King. Now Maria talking about biopics etca em
rated two hours and three minutes. The lauded American born
(43:37):
Greek opera singer Maria Kallis, who lived from nineteen twenty
three to nineteen seventy seven, so a relatively short life.
Her final days are captured in this movie, and by
then her famed soprano voice has gone and she hasn't
performed in years, and she's played by Angelina Jolie. She's
holed up in her luxury Paris apartment with her two
(44:01):
loyal staff for Eruccio and Bruna, along with a couple
of small dogs. I'm sure you would appreciate that, Jackie. Anyway,
she's popping pills as if their lolly is and having
frequent hallucinations. She pines for the love of her life,
shipping magnate Aristotle onases. Now a television crew led by
(44:23):
an interviewer called Mandrax, filled by an Australian actor called
Cody Smith McPhee arrives to film a documentary on her
life and she's prevailed upon to make one final attempt
at singing like she used to.
Speaker 2 (44:37):
Which proves futile.
Speaker 1 (44:39):
Now in her mind, she remains the diva for which
she was noted as being, and she can be aloof,
she can be dismissive, indignant, but she still covets adoration.
So it's very much an interpretation of Callous's end by
the writer Stephen Knight and the director Pablo Lorraine, who
also collaborated on I'd Say on Spencer, and it flits
(45:02):
between black and white and color interspersed with actual footage
of callous performing, and the picture of painters is hardly
a pretty one. The film reveals how she met and
was pursued by Aristotle on asses while she was still married,
and it details how he did not want her to sing,
(45:22):
and it harks back to her difficult, impoverished childhood with
her sister and how she was estranged from her mother.
And it's difficult to discern how much of what's presented
is actually fact and how much is fiction. One thing
is clear, hers was hardly a trouble free life, and
while watching Marie, I couldn't help but think of Lorraine's
earlier biopic Jackie, that was on the first Lady, Jacqueline
(45:45):
Kennedy on as Eventually, there are similarities in style, elements
of fantasy and whimsy, and Angelina Jolly inhabits the soul
of callous with style.
Speaker 2 (45:56):
She sings well. Although I wasn't always sold on the
lip sinking. I found that troubling, especially early on.
Speaker 1 (46:03):
I appreciated the representation of the man servant for Ruccio,
and basically he tried everything possible to try to help
Callous in spite of herself having said that, it became
perfectly clear that the end was near and she'd do
what she ultimately wanted to do. Ultimately, there's a turbulence
and sadness about Maria the film and its representation of
(46:25):
a fated songstress who lived for the stage, and as
shown in this movie, she soared and then she stumbled. So, okay,
let's do a comparison here, Jackie, what did you think
of Maria compared to a complete unknown and Maria on
its own?
Speaker 7 (46:45):
Oh, Alexa barely gave Maria a pass?
Speaker 2 (46:48):
Really? Okay?
Speaker 5 (46:49):
Dollars dishwater?
Speaker 2 (46:52):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (46:53):
Yeah, so you wanted, you wanted more, you wanted There
wasn't enough substance to it. Is that what you say
you said was it's.
Speaker 7 (47:00):
Time too hard to be mysterious and artists, I think,
and I didn't feel as though I got to know
the person. And even Angeline Sholley is highly respect as
an actress. I think she's amazing. She just didn't look
right in this. Maybe she was too beautiful, or maybe she.
Speaker 1 (47:18):
Was really that's interesting Okay. I actually thought she represented
Callous very very well. I kind of wondered whether the
whole idea of I'm not sure how many months it represents,
but you know, the focusing on the end of her
life and whatever, I kind of wondered whether that was
the right choice.
Speaker 2 (47:39):
Actually, I don't know whether you thought that while you
were watching it.
Speaker 7 (47:41):
I think I agree with you on that. There's definitely
something off about it that just didn't get into me.
Speaker 1 (47:49):
Yep, okay to jet Yes, I was going to call
you next to Anyways, Where's Go?
Speaker 8 (47:56):
This movie focuses only on the last week of life, aptly,
only the last seven days, which seems to be a
very strange choice for somebody who ultimately dies.
Speaker 2 (48:07):
Right.
Speaker 8 (48:07):
It's very very dark, and I didn't get a sense
of the joy that Maria Callis either felt while she
was singing in her in her heyday or the joy
she gave to an audience. So there was no there
There was no cutting into the timeline to kind of
reflect on what she had been. What we see is
(48:28):
a very sorry woman. I don't think Angelina Jolie was
the right woman to play this part. She does play
it quite well, but she doesn't look anything like Maria Callis.
Speaker 3 (48:40):
Maria Callis was chouted.
Speaker 8 (48:41):
As being one of the most beautiful women in the world.
But with the end credits role and you see what
she actually looked like. I kind of found myself going
why because she she was no beauty in my humble opinion,
But I didn't think.
Speaker 2 (48:56):
I mean, I think Angelina Jolie is a very attractive
lady is, Yeah, I.
Speaker 3 (48:59):
Do, But she didn't look a thing like Maria Callis.
I think there are a whole lot of actresses out
there that could.
Speaker 7 (49:04):
Have sometimes doesn't matter, you can believe anyway if they didn't.
Speaker 8 (49:10):
And I thought that that Angelina was way too skinny.
Now I do know that Maria Callis lost a whole
lot of weight between nineteen fifty three and ninety four.
Speaker 3 (49:19):
That made it harder for her to support her vocal parrots.
Speaker 8 (49:22):
All about her losing this voice of hers and not
being able to sing anymore.
Speaker 3 (49:26):
Right, She suffered from a.
Speaker 8 (49:28):
Disease called dermatomysotis, which is an auto autoimmune disease that
causes muscle inflammation and weakness difficulty swallowing. She was nearly
blind on stage. She couldn't see anything anymore. She had
a neuromuscular disease. She was also clearly addicted to speed
and other sedatives, and she was overworked. She was a
(49:49):
shell of her former self, which is okay if that's the.
Speaker 3 (49:52):
Bit of her that you want to explore.
Speaker 8 (49:55):
Personally, if it was my life, I wouldn't want my
worst bits highlighted like that.
Speaker 3 (49:59):
I've at least pay some attention to my best bits.
Speaker 8 (50:02):
And that's what the director did, both with the Jackie
film and with the Princess Diana one that he did too.
Speaker 3 (50:09):
It wasn't all just darkness.
Speaker 7 (50:13):
And rapt to make a film about you will remember
you saying that we'll focus on your best bits sake,
thank you, Jackie.
Speaker 2 (50:18):
That would be great, and it.
Speaker 1 (50:20):
Was very diplomatically put as well. I thought, it's any
we'll focus on your best bits. But there you go.
Having having said that, it's the down nature of this
that you seem to be picking up on that makes
it a hard watch.
Speaker 2 (50:33):
Is that what you're saying? Well, it was.
Speaker 3 (50:35):
It was all dark.
Speaker 8 (50:36):
There was no light and shade about it at all.
It was just all shade, and as a result, it's
pretty boring. I mean, I didn't really give it down
whether she died today or in a few days time.
Speaker 1 (50:47):
Okay, fair enough, there you go straight to the point, Peter,
are you going to give it any any greater credence
than we have?
Speaker 2 (50:56):
Thus farn Well.
Speaker 4 (50:57):
I admire the director Pablo Lorraine because this is the
third part of his trilogy dealing with prominent women who,
in the last week or so of their life had
to deal with a number of personal issues. And so
I think after Jackie and Spencer and then now with Maria,
he's done a reasonable job in trying to portray that.
(51:20):
And yes, Maria's last week or so of her life
is somewhat darker. It's interesting to note that this is
a semi remake of a film that was made twenty
years ago. Would start Fannie adult as Maria Callous, which
also dealt with the last week of her life, but
dealt with it in a somewhat more positive sort of way.
(51:44):
And there was an excellent documentary Maria by Callous about
seven years ago which dealt with the whole persona of
Maria Callous.
Speaker 5 (51:53):
So I didn't mind this film.
Speaker 4 (51:55):
I thought he'd done a reasonable job in trying to
portray the personal issues that she had to deal with
in the last week of her life. I just didn't
feel that it was a strong enough depiction of Maria Kallis.
And yes, we had to see the real Maria Kallos
in the newsreels and so on at the end of
the film to have perhaps a bit more understanding of
(52:19):
who she was, although not not particularly much. The Cody
Smit McPhee character was totally unnecessary and was a device
put in just to show that she wanted to talk
about her life, but it was just it didn't do
anything for me. So look, overall, a mild disappointment, but nevertheless,
(52:40):
there's enough in the film to admire, and I think
Angelina Joly did a reasonable job in trying to mimic
the last week of Maria Kallis's life.
Speaker 2 (52:50):
Now, Greg, we're short on time.
Speaker 1 (52:51):
I'm sorry to say that to you, but what were
your thoughts about Maria.
Speaker 6 (52:56):
I thought it was super gambat didn't do any more
the multiple different formats you use, you know, jumps in time,
there is no real idea of what time frame we're in.
Speaker 5 (53:06):
Half the time and that character that you.
Speaker 6 (53:10):
Alluded to, Peter, the Cody smithmfree character named man rex
I read somewhere that that's actually the name of a
drug that Maria Carlis was on. That's where that name
came from. Shit, he was just a big winute of
her imagination. Yeah, I didn't like this film at all.
When you're compared for a complete unknown, this is.
Speaker 5 (53:29):
Awful.
Speaker 2 (53:30):
Okay. So so Greg, what are you giving Maria? Which
is m runs for two hours, three minutes out of ten,
four hour ten, four out of ten. Okay, it's sandy.
Speaker 8 (53:44):
I'll give it five and a half, just because I'm
that kind of person.
Speaker 2 (53:47):
Yeah, they going to Okay.
Speaker 3 (53:48):
Jacqueline, Well, I gave it fast far and a half.
Speaker 2 (53:51):
Two okay, two, five and a half.
Speaker 4 (53:54):
Peter, I gave it six out of ten because there
are some aspects of it that I admired, and.
Speaker 2 (54:00):
As seven out of ten. So there we go. All right,
So compared to the others, this is not Oscar witting material.
Speaker 1 (54:05):
Let's be honest. That's what we're all saying. Look, it's
been a real pleasure, guys, thank you very much. Indeed,
it's so much better to get you know, not that
it is male and female, but it's really great to
have a greater sense of balance than we often do so.
Thank you very much indeed for your contribution Jackie, Sandy,
Greg and Peter, and we will do it again very
very soon. First, on film and entertainment. Enjoy yourselves, go
(54:28):
to the movies. Enjoy going to the films and being
dark in places.
Speaker 2 (54:33):
Speak to you very soon.
First on Film and Entertainment, and we have got the
whole gang together. We have got Jackie Hamilton, Sandy k
Greg King, Peter Krause, and yours truly, Alex first, and
we are going to do this in a very special
way because the film that will win the Oscar for
Best Film and also Best Director and also Best Actor
(00:20):
is where we should be starting now. I want to
see whether there's any argument from any of you that
the Brutalist will win at least those three awards. Does
anyone want to put their hands up and say no,
they disagree they won't win those Oscars?
Speaker 2 (00:36):
Sandy, Okay, so now I think it.
Speaker 3 (00:39):
Probably will win, but my argument would be that it
should not.
Speaker 2 (00:43):
Okay, well, that's a different argument. When we'll get that,
we'll get to that and down. Okay, okay, so the
rest of you, you all agree those three?
Speaker 4 (00:53):
Possibly, I think Conclaves now has an inside running for
Best Film.
Speaker 2 (01:00):
When you say now has base, yes, it's.
Speaker 4 (01:04):
Based on a report from Variety where they interviewed a
number of the AMPASS voters and many of them pass.
Speaker 2 (01:11):
Sorry, a lot of people won't know what AMPASS is.
Speaker 4 (01:14):
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and scientists. They run
the oscars, and so the eleven thousand members of ampass
part of the OSCAR voting. And so what variety have
found is that the excitement for the brutalist has calmed
a little bit.
Speaker 1 (01:33):
Okay, all right, well I'd still be stunned if it didn't.
So talking about that, let's start there, because it's a
very long movie. We're talking two hundred and fifteen minutes,
which translates to what's that one hundred and eighty thirty
five minutes? And the important part of this and I
really really like this, and I wonder whether you agree
(01:54):
with me and our forty minutes in there is an
intermission and there is a countdown clock. Now I happen
to Seed at the Classic Cinema and in Elston week
in Melbourne, and every well, I think eighty five percent
of the cinema left, basically, and then there was a
Q outside the bathroom. Sure, we say, and you've got
to get back on time, because the fifteen minutes is
indeed just that.
Speaker 2 (02:15):
Now that that's sort of old style.
Speaker 1 (02:18):
I don't know how far back we go when inhibitions
were common in long movies. Peter, you were around about
the seventeen hundred, so you'd probably remember when. Yeah, so when,
because there were quite a number of movies that used
to have missions. And I mean, I think it's really
indulgent on the past part of most directors that they
have long movies without a break. And I'm not just
(02:38):
talking about people who are of a certain age and
need a bathroom break.
Speaker 2 (02:42):
But it's a long sit right, whether it's a theater,
whether it's anything. So any admissions are done. Good idea,
But we're probably going back, what.
Speaker 4 (02:51):
To the fifties Peter Well Ten Commandments, Cleopatra.
Speaker 5 (02:57):
From Arabia, Gone with the Wind?
Speaker 2 (02:59):
Yes, did God with the Wind have an indission? Did it? Okay?
Speaker 4 (03:04):
In some cinemas in the US certainly did have an intermission?
Speaker 6 (03:07):
Yes, okay, So I thought I saw I saw in
a small countrytown and I had an intermission.
Speaker 2 (03:13):
Too, Okay, And now I think it's a darn good idea.
Speaker 1 (03:16):
Do you Does anybody disagree that any movie that's over
a certain length of time, and you know, you can
nominate two and a half or three hours, should have
an indimission?
Speaker 2 (03:25):
Do we all agree on that? I don't like the
words should.
Speaker 3 (03:29):
I would like.
Speaker 7 (03:29):
Them to actually let you know at the start that
there will be one, because when we went to the
previews screening, I wasn't aware that there would be and
I was kind of debating or should I duck out?
Now when's a good time there? Are you happy when
an intermission, you know, surprisingly came up? And also if
(03:50):
at it, like Greg mentioned a country town, then in
the smaller venues, it's a great idea for people to
pop out and help candy bar takings, I think.
Speaker 1 (03:58):
Well, it's it's that's It's funny you talk about that
because with theater, sometimes relatively short plays have an intermission
for that very reason. Okay, Now, having said that, it's
extremely frustrating when you're seeing something that isn't very long
and they do stick an into mission into it.
Speaker 2 (04:17):
So I mean, I'm having a bet both ways here.
Speaker 1 (04:20):
But with regards to a long movie, you know, I
gave it a point just just for that.
Speaker 2 (04:24):
I thought that was a terrific It was an innovative
way of looking at it.
Speaker 1 (04:28):
Because we've seen in the past twelve months, we've seen
quite a few movies that are very long. We've seen
some other movies that are close enough to three hours,
haven't we From recollection and Greg in the past year a.
Speaker 4 (04:41):
Few.
Speaker 2 (04:42):
Yeah, don't get so excited when you're talking to me, Greg,
It's fantastic, Okay. Now, having said that, the narrative in.
Speaker 1 (04:49):
This movie the brutalless very richly woven tale of pain
and perseverance.
Speaker 2 (04:54):
It unfolds in a couple of parts.
Speaker 1 (04:56):
You've got the first one, which is called the Enigma
of Arrival, and the second hardcore of Beauty, and then
there's an epilogue, and boy, that is quite an eye opener,
so you.
Speaker 2 (05:07):
Certainly wouldn't be leaving before looking at that epilogue.
Speaker 1 (05:10):
The centerpiece is a lauded Hungarian Jewish architect called Laslow Toss,
a role filled by Adrian Brody, and despite hardship, he
survives the Holocaust, but he separated from his wife, who's
the English equivalent name is Elizabeth, played by Felicity.
Speaker 2 (05:28):
Jones, and the young niece of.
Speaker 1 (05:31):
Both Elizabeth and Laslow, whose name is Sophia Rafficassidy, is
the actor.
Speaker 2 (05:38):
Cast in that role.
Speaker 1 (05:39):
We find out more about what they endured in the
film's climax. Now, after the war, with nothing left till
in nineteen forty seven, Laslow manages to find safe passage
to the United States, and he goes to live and
work with his cousin Attila Alessandro Navola and with Attila's wife,
Audrey Emma Laird, run a small furniture shop in Philadelphia,
(06:03):
and it's also where Laslow receives word that Elizabeth and
Sophia also manage to see out the war, meant he
naturally hopes he'll be reunited with him. So Attela accepts
a special design commission from a man called Harry Lee
Duren played by Joel Olwen, who's the son of a
wealthy industrialist called Harrison. So the son is Harry, the
(06:26):
father is Harrison, and Harrison is a role filled by
Guy Pearce, and it appears to be a golden ticket,
this design commission, but that job sets him train an
ongoing turbulent association between Laslow and Harry and Harrison.
Speaker 2 (06:42):
So there's real tension in that relationship throughout.
Speaker 1 (06:46):
And despite Laslow's creative brilliance, despite his passion, he also
battles a long term drug addiction. So this is a
movie that is epic in nature, and it's a real
portrait of elitism and racism.
Speaker 2 (07:00):
Notwithstanding his achievements, and his acumen. Leslow's forever considered an
outsider who is not embraced by many and who can
be discarded at will.
Speaker 1 (07:11):
So power plays in The Brutalist are plentiful the movie itself.
When I was watching this and Jackie, I think I
spoke to you, I think it was after. I don't
know whether it was before or after, but I really
believed that we were seeing a biopic. I hadn't read
anything about it, like you, Peter.
Speaker 2 (07:29):
I don't like sort of reading about a movie or
show before I see it, and I could swear this
was real. And yet when I went to look at
it sort of in terms of investigative investigating the movie afterwards,
I found out that was actually inspired by several real
life architects and designers, and it's really meant to be
(07:50):
a bit of a celebration of the triumphs and of
the most daring and accomplished visionaries.
Speaker 1 (07:56):
Now, obviously it's very gritty, but that was the intent.
And it's been co written with Moana Fastfold by the
director Brady Corvett, who did Vox Lux.
Speaker 2 (08:05):
I remember that movie that goes back what six or
seven years years? Seven years?
Speaker 1 (08:09):
Yeah, it's quite I found the brutless remarkable, insightful and distressing.
And bear in mind that Adrian Brody has already won
an Oscar for the Pianist back in two thousand and three.
He won the Best Actor Oscar on that occasion, and
I reckon he delivers hugely again, and he really does
inhabit the tortured soul of laslow Doth like a second skin,
(08:32):
and he im views Intoth this strong sense of self belief.
So he's resourceful, he's proud, he's arrogant, combative, and also
deeply troubled. And the other performance, I mean really memorable,
turning the movie not as big a role, but still significant.
Felicity Jones quite stoic and resolute as his long suffering
(08:52):
wife Elizabeth, who continues to endure, and she comes across
as intelligent and well considered in the face of physical
and mental anguish. Now Guy appears, It'll be interesting to
see whether he secures.
Speaker 2 (09:07):
It's a very strong role.
Speaker 1 (09:08):
I mean, he brings bigoted privilege to the mega rich
Harrison who's prone to fits of peak. And visually there
is a grittiness to what we see. The cinematographies by
Lord Crawley who also shot White Noise, and I thought
quite something of the dynamic and dramatic score from Daniel Bloomberg.
So I found it unforgettable. I thought it was bold,
(09:30):
I thought it was brilliant, and I thought it was
a captivating production and unquestionably the finest movie of the
last twelve months.
Speaker 2 (09:38):
So Jackie, I.
Speaker 1 (09:39):
Know that when you saw it, you actually said to
me you wanted to see it again, So it obviously
moved you talk to me about your perceptions of the brutalist.
Speaker 7 (09:50):
Well, that was the first thing I thought as soon
as I saw it. First thing was I did the
same as you. I went rushing to Wikipedia to drug
fight and it was actually a true story and because
I honestly thought it could have could well have been.
And the second thing was, yes, I need to see
this again. Unfortunately I haven't had the opportunity yet, but
(10:10):
I still definitely well, even though today's check is some
really the point of having seen it, I like you
felt right from the opening stand this was going to
be a real feel of a sweeping epic, you know,
a kind of a big screen story kind of unfold
(10:32):
over time, really dig deep into these characters, and we
got what it seemed to be right from the start.
It comes not just from the direction. I think the
main thing that comes from is, you know, deep in ADM.
Brody just draws it out. He's you know.
Speaker 2 (10:52):
He can't put a foot wrong.
Speaker 7 (10:53):
This actor total a list or in everything he's ever done,
I think, as far as I've seen.
Speaker 2 (10:59):
Anyway, Sorry, let's me ask you a question, Jackie. It's funny.
Speaker 1 (11:03):
There are some actors I totally agree with your assessment.
Who is the actor Daniel da Lewis who gave up acting?
He was another in that category. I mean, there are
very few in this pantheon of actors that they tackle
roles and you just know that they are going to
be OSCAR nominated roles. Are you The immersion that they
(11:24):
have in their characters is a touch above and the
way they carry their roles.
Speaker 2 (11:30):
That's my view of it, Jackie, keep going please.
Speaker 5 (11:33):
He just lifts it.
Speaker 7 (11:34):
And along with that is normally Guy Piers. I've got
to admit, not my favorite actor. He I find him
pretty stilted and wouldn't but in this role, of course,
as the industrialist, you need a stilted, wooden person. So
he was. Actually it was actually made for him. I thought,
(11:55):
I thought he was very good in it as Harrison,
but so.
Speaker 1 (11:58):
Long to be interjected and we can't speak about it's
still sort of the best part of a month away.
But there's a new Australian movie called Inside with Guy
Pears as the if not lead, the co lead, and
it's a very different role. So it'll be fascinating when
you go and see that movie, Jackie to have that
comparison to the Guy, because I think he does really
(12:19):
good job of it, but it's a very different characterization.
Speaker 2 (12:24):
I find he's guy.
Speaker 7 (12:25):
Pers in almost everything he does, but in this case,
you know, he is great. But one of the overriding
things for me about The Brutalist was it's actually about architecture,
which I just love, and I love the immersion in that,
and I love the obsession with it. In fact, in
a way, the obsession with architecture and this project that
(12:46):
goes on through the second half of the film almost
almost get a reminder there of another film that we
might get to talk about that's just start open to
called A Complete Unknown with Bob Dylan, about Bob Dylan's
obsession with music. So there's a very similar you know, creativity.
Speaker 5 (13:08):
That comes out of these people.
Speaker 7 (13:10):
And I just really enjoyed the way this post war brutal,
brutalist architecture was explored too, and you know, the shock
and the you know, getting to know it, and that's
there was a lot to you know, just not like
about this film, but actually really feel deeply about I thought,
(13:33):
and as well as the relationships with the power struggle
that comes to quite a ghastly climax at one point,
shall we say? And yeah, so big one for me?
Speaker 1 (13:45):
Yeah yeah, So I mean the movie itself, if you
take out the fifteen minute indission, three hours twenty minutes.
Speaker 2 (13:51):
I wasn't troubled by the running time at all? Were
you not?
Speaker 5 (13:54):
At all?
Speaker 4 (13:55):
No?
Speaker 7 (13:55):
I like a long film.
Speaker 2 (13:57):
Don't have a hard enough Well, Peter, you like long film,
z Peter.
Speaker 1 (14:00):
You know if the film went for twelve hours, you'd
still be sitting there right, You wouldn't have gotten out
of your seat.
Speaker 2 (14:06):
So what did you think of the Brutalist Look? I
liked it very much.
Speaker 4 (14:10):
It is an impressive film. I'm not quite as enamored
by it as other people are, even though it is
very impressive. I mean, for example, early in the film,
there is some clunky dialogue at times, which I felt
could have been refined a little bit more, because the
first act does go on a little bit, and what
(14:30):
Corbet has used is some rather unusual camera angles to
sort of mimic the sort of the brutalist style of architecture.
Speaker 2 (14:39):
I suppose.
Speaker 4 (14:40):
So look, I thought that was great. Some cinemas are
screening the original VistaVision print of the film. VistaVision was
a widescreen format that was introduced in the nineteen fifties,
was very short lived, and Corbet wanted to reinvigorate Vista
VI just to show the wide elements of how he
(15:04):
shot the film. And I thought that was very effective.
Guy Pierce, Yes, I agree, is very good. He won't
win the Oscar though Kieran Culkin has that sewn up
for a real pain. But I think the performances are
very good.
Speaker 2 (15:17):
Overall.
Speaker 4 (15:19):
I think it goes too much into the financial sort
of aspects and not enough into the architectural aspects of
what brutalism is. Yes, I know it's not a buyer
pick of a real person. It's an amalgam of a
number of architects who worked in the brutalist sort of fashion. Look,
(15:40):
there's a lot to admire in the film. I liked
it very much, However, I wasn't one hundred percent enamored
by it.
Speaker 2 (15:50):
Fair enough, Well, I mean we should talk a little bit.
Speaker 1 (15:54):
You've touched on it in terms of the brutalist architecture
and what that style is.
Speaker 2 (16:00):
Really.
Speaker 1 (16:01):
It emerged to me during the fifties, didn't it. I
mean from recollection sort of reconstruction projects.
Speaker 2 (16:08):
Of the post war era. It was sort of UK based.
That's my understanding. Do you have a different understanding. I
mean that's largely true.
Speaker 4 (16:17):
America adopted it very quickly too, with its skyscrapers and
the sort of approach that it's all very tough sort
of architecture. It all looks quite awful on the surface,
but of course it contained some great designs internally.
Speaker 1 (16:36):
Yeah, it was sort of I believe that it sort
of was a reaction against the nostalgia of architecture in
the nineteen forties.
Speaker 2 (16:44):
That's sort of sort from the modernist movement. That's kind
of where it emerged from.
Speaker 1 (16:50):
Because I don't think when you look at the title,
even though if you don't make the association, I think
you'd come out of it and say, well, why is
it called the brutalist if you don't make the link
to the architecture, so unpleased.
Speaker 2 (17:04):
At least we've discussed that, now, Okay, it was a.
Speaker 7 (17:07):
Post war when the economic times they didn't have, you know,
the money for fancy buildings.
Speaker 2 (17:14):
Yes, it was, that's true. Yeah, very well, put Jackie,
because if you look at the style, if you look
at what Laslow is, I'm sorry, the use of concrete,
the use of concrete.
Speaker 1 (17:26):
Yes, it's very it's very simple and in some respects,
mind you, the centerpiece of it. I thought again, the
use of the sun and all that sort of stuff
was pretty pretty special, quite frankly. Now, okay, let's go
to you Greg in terms of your thought process.
Speaker 2 (17:45):
You just saw it recently, didn't you.
Speaker 6 (17:46):
Yeah. I went and saw it on the forty two
degree day at the Nova Cinema, four hours in the shade.
Speaker 2 (17:52):
Yes, very clever of you. Okay, so did you.
Speaker 5 (17:54):
Definitely.
Speaker 6 (17:55):
But I'm not as enamor of this film as you are.
It's or anyone else you're not or you, I'm not
asid commandment. I much preferred a complete unknown for me
as a better film anyway. But the Brutal is a
film that certainly deserves to be seen on the big
screen anyway, because it looks good as in a bold
and ambitious film, addressing a lot of weighty scenes which
(18:18):
I already mentioned, you know, the immigrant experience, that sense
of cultural displacement, and the.
Speaker 5 (18:23):
Sarah American dream and lots more there.
Speaker 6 (18:26):
And there's even some usual footage in here that gives
us some insight into this industrial period of America in
this era there. But I thought Kobby's Cobbett's direction was
a bit unhurried the film like the sense of urgency.
The production design certainly gave us a strong sense of
place there, and loal crawl is west taking and often
bleak cinematography.
Speaker 5 (18:46):
He captures some sark imagery of.
Speaker 6 (18:48):
These architectural structures, and as I think you've mentioned, they're
often shot from strange and just orientine that just orienting
di orienting angles. And I thought the color palette gave
the with a little bit of a gritty edge too.
Probably called the Brutalist because of its punishing run time.
Speaker 2 (19:04):
Actually and ju USh, yeah, thank you.
Speaker 5 (19:10):
I thought the.
Speaker 6 (19:10):
Leagues were really but you all spoken about that how
this Ronie and Peers had probably never been better in
their careers.
Speaker 5 (19:18):
Brady captures Leaslow's fraud character.
Speaker 6 (19:20):
He immerses himself in his driven nature, his addictions, his paranoia,
his ambition and arrogance, and even his pain. James was
also strong as the long suffering there's a bet capturing
her intelligence and storied nature.
Speaker 2 (19:33):
And I thought, I mean, sorry, Greg, let me just
seem to introdect.
Speaker 1 (19:36):
You've called it Isabit, which is actually her name I
used just so people won't get confused. The English equivalent
was Elizabeth, right, so it's a bit Elizabeth.
Speaker 2 (19:46):
Sorry, keep going.
Speaker 6 (19:47):
And I thought he's bought an early qualities of his
performances to suave but bitter than Van Buren there, and
he gave this character a sinister edge here. Now my
things on the title of Brutalist, it does refer to
Leslow's character through his love of concrete and no stark
billings here, but to also refer to Van Buren's character
because of some of his actions here, his nasty, tingy
(20:10):
as yeah, and also the fact that he sort of
likes to be in control.
Speaker 5 (20:14):
Dominating and master with his own universe. So there you go.
But yeah, sorry, but the.
Speaker 6 (20:20):
Film with his punishing, run time, epic sweep and what
are he seems?
Speaker 5 (20:24):
And blinked Outlook, there's something you have a sloved to
sit through.
Speaker 6 (20:27):
And I must admit the second half of Me fell away,
and I found my mind wandering a little bit during
this second half of the film, which I found not
as compelling as the first half, and I felt that
the film lost its.
Speaker 2 (20:38):
Way by the end. Really it's interesting, Okay, I disagree
with that. What about the epilogue because I thought the
epilogue was really eye opening?
Speaker 6 (20:45):
Mystery is good but basically no, no, okay, didn't know it?
Speaker 1 (20:49):
Now, Okay, Sandy, you have also seen the Brutalis, so
we're on this pantheon all this line from brilliant to
sort of Okay, do you see it?
Speaker 2 (21:01):
Well?
Speaker 8 (21:02):
I think it's a bit better than okay, and quite
a let loss a lot less than brilliant.
Speaker 2 (21:07):
I did.
Speaker 8 (21:08):
I don't want to go on too long about it,
because I think we've all talked about it. But I
think if you walk in there with high expectations, as
I did, you are bound to be disappointed. If you
were lucky enough to see it without any expectations, I'm
sure you'll be pleasantly surprised. I'm not particularly into architecture.
I think Adrian Brody does a great job in his role.
(21:31):
I hated Guy Pierce. I thought he acting was absolute shite,
So I didn't I think it could have been cut
by at least half an hour or forty five minutes.
And I don't have any problem with long movies, particularly
if they have an intermission. But it didn't hold my
attention the whole way. I thought there were long, long
holes on shots that weren't necessary, that didn't really connect
(21:53):
to my emotions at all. I wasn't really drawn into it.
I can see what you're all talking about who love it,
But I think there are better movies out there for
the number one position on the Oscars for sure.
Speaker 2 (22:06):
Wow.
Speaker 1 (22:06):
Okay, m I rated two hundred and fifteen minutes, as
we've said, three hours thirty five, with a fifteen minute
in division one hour forty minutes in called the Brutal List.
So Sandy, let's start with you, because we'll get a
score out of ten, and this will be fascinating given
what you've just said.
Speaker 3 (22:22):
So we're well, I think i'll give it a seven.
Speaker 2 (22:26):
Yeah, okay, well that's not a bad mark. But it's
a it's not great, it's like slightly, it's like it's
sent me above average. But you know, Greg, Sorry, Greg,
you what about you?
Speaker 5 (22:39):
I'll do it ship chair in ten.
Speaker 2 (22:41):
Oh my golly, wow.
Speaker 5 (22:43):
The second half they just watched me in the second half.
Speaker 1 (22:46):
Sorry, gee whiz okay, Peter, nine out of ten for
me and Jackie.
Speaker 7 (22:54):
Well, can I just say, Greg, I noted that you
said you felt as though it left the sense of urgency,
but I don't think it was that kind of film,
So that didn't worry mate. When you already know that
it's going to be a long film, you're not really
expecting an urgent pace through the film, or at least
(23:15):
I wasn't, So that would be my reaction to what
you mentioned there, especially in the last second half. I
settled into it. And definitely a nine out of ten.
Speaker 2 (23:24):
From me for the Brutalist, right, and I'll go high
mark here, nine and a half out of ten for
the Brutalist. And I would urge people to see it
because it's a special piece of work.
Speaker 1 (23:38):
You are on jam and please contribute to the station.
Fifty four bucks a year gets you membership and yes,
we thrive on that because the station needs money to survive.
So if you feel so inclined, twenty four to seven
are programming hopefully a bit of intelligence, a bit of fun,
and lots of good music.
Speaker 2 (23:55):
So let's talk about.
Speaker 1 (23:57):
The movie that Jackie just referenced, a completeknown the Bob
Dylan part by opic, and it's emerated this one is
also a long film at two hours twenty one minutes
without an intermission.
Speaker 2 (24:09):
And also this.
Speaker 5 (24:09):
One didn't the time, A new one didn't bother me
at all. I was talked the whole time.
Speaker 2 (24:14):
But okay, so Greg, let me start there.
Speaker 1 (24:18):
You are a Bob Dylan fan, yes, no, but I
like some of his music, Okay, all right.
Speaker 6 (24:23):
So I've never seen him live, even though he's been
out here about four times.
Speaker 2 (24:27):
Okay, yeah, and you do go along and see quite
a bit of music. So okay.
Speaker 1 (24:31):
Having said that, do you think that if you do not,
if you're not a Bob Dylan fan, do you think
you can appreciate this movie and enjoy it?
Speaker 2 (24:40):
Yes you can.
Speaker 6 (24:41):
There's an enjoyable film, and a concentration about four years
of his life early career gives.
Speaker 5 (24:48):
It a strong focus. Now now, yeah, and the music's
great as well.
Speaker 1 (24:53):
Sandy, you are somebody who loves your music. Where does
Bob Dylan sit in your your.
Speaker 2 (24:59):
Head in terms of of talent? And are you interested
in him, you know, as a musician compared to others.
Speaker 8 (25:06):
The only the only album I like from Bob Dylan
is his very last one, this latest one that he
put out a couple of years ago. Now, I've never
been a fan of his music. I do like his poetry,
but I could never stand his voice. I think, in
my opinion, should have stuck to writing lyrics and maybe
maybe done a book rather than some whole bunch of songs.
(25:27):
But I get his appeal for people who could live
with that. I like this movie, although it was too
music driven for my taste.
Speaker 2 (25:37):
That's interesting. So it's too music driven where and a
lot of you a lot of what you like his music.
So yeah, but I don't like his music.
Speaker 8 (25:45):
I don't like very much from that folk era or
music wise. Maybe that's my age. I'm a little bit
too young for that era. But some of it I liked,
but there was.
Speaker 3 (25:57):
Yeah, I didn't really love the music all that much.
This I like the story, I liked the the his journey.
Speaker 8 (26:05):
I liked his kutzpah and and his confidence and his cheekiness.
Speaker 3 (26:10):
I didn't like the way he treated women, particularly.
Speaker 8 (26:14):
I didn't think that the woman, the actress playing Joan Baiers.
Speaker 3 (26:19):
Did that very well.
Speaker 8 (26:20):
In terms if she was much better looking than Joan
Baiers with whom Bob Dylan had a scene.
Speaker 2 (26:26):
I had no problem with that whatsoever, Sandy, you.
Speaker 3 (26:28):
Liked the way she looked, Yeah, okay, but it wasn't.
Speaker 2 (26:31):
Sorry, that's a very insisious thing to say. I thought
I thought her voice was extraordinary. I really did you
not think she had a good voice. I just didn't
like what they were singing.
Speaker 8 (26:42):
I mean, I just I kind of, you know, sat
there through the songs and wanted to get back to
the action.
Speaker 2 (26:48):
I like.
Speaker 3 (26:48):
I like.
Speaker 2 (26:50):
By the way we're talking about, Montice.
Speaker 1 (26:51):
Bbarro was what was the machine top Gun? The most
recent top Gun?
Speaker 2 (26:57):
Is that?
Speaker 7 (26:57):
Why?
Speaker 2 (26:59):
That's that's back of my head somewhere, Peter.
Speaker 1 (27:02):
Do you know whether Monica Bobaro was in the most
recent Top Gun movie?
Speaker 2 (27:07):
I don't know.
Speaker 4 (27:07):
I'd have to look it up.
Speaker 2 (27:08):
That's all right, No, no, no, that's fine. All right.
Speaker 1 (27:10):
Well, let's talk a little bit about the film. Just
so we've got a bit more of a context. So
it focuses, as Greg said, on what he did and
how he did it between nineteen sixty one and sixty five,
so it's a very finite.
Speaker 2 (27:22):
Period, the very early days.
Speaker 1 (27:24):
And he sort of arrives unannounced with a guitar in hand,
this nineteen year old kid, see me.
Speaker 5 (27:30):
Yeah, I'll just interrupted alis shoe whiten top gun Maverick.
Speaker 1 (27:34):
Oh, thank you, Greg, I appreciate our good Okay, yeah,
I don't know why, just yeah, okay. Now he seeks
out the legendary Woody Guthrie, who is in a veterans
hospital in New Jersey, and with Guthrie.
Speaker 2 (27:48):
Alongside him, is a fellow.
Speaker 1 (27:50):
So focusing here of renown in Pete Seeger and Dylan
plays Guthrie, who is in a really bad way. He's
unable to speak. He's actually got Huntingdon's disease. He plays
Guthrie a song that he wrote especially for him, and
both Segre and Guthrie immediately recognize his talent. Seger is
(28:11):
the one who actually opens doors for him, and without pretense,
with just raw talent, Dylan taps into the culture of
that time, and we're talking about eighty war and civil
rights activism being prominent. So the US is sort of
grappling with profound social, political, and cultural upheaval. Now Dylan's
rise is meteoric, so too is his discomfort with the
(28:34):
fandom that follows, notwithstanding his pleasure to receive the endorsement
of one of the biggest names at that time, Johnny
Cash and the film, and this is again where Sandy
references his relationships. The film explores Dylan's intimate relationship, so specifically,
it covers his time with an artist and freedom fighter
called Sylvie Russo.
Speaker 2 (28:54):
Now, I didn't better you might be able to explain
this than you usually go a little bit of depth there.
Speaker 1 (28:59):
Sylvie Russo is a surrogate for the real life Sues Rottolo.
So I don't understand why they wouldn't have used the Sues.
Speaker 2 (29:08):
Rottolo rather than Sylvie Russo.
Speaker 8 (29:10):
Do you have any understanding of pardon me, sus didn't
let them use her name.
Speaker 1 (29:15):
Some sort of some sort of legal Ah okay, all right,
thank you, I feel well informed now, So okay, So
there were those two characters. Joan Biezacus been the other,
and Dylan is very much painted as this wandering soul
who was sickle in affairs of the heart. And although
he was wholeheartedly embraced by the folk music movement, the
(29:38):
movie A Complete Unknown shows how he upset the status
quo by adopting the electric guitar. Right, that was a
no no as far as the folk movement was concerned.
So everything comes to a head at the nineteen sixty
five Newport Folk Festival. So you know, that's kind of
it's that's the zenith I feel like of.
Speaker 2 (29:57):
The film, and I really enjoyed it.
Speaker 1 (29:59):
I thought it was a really captured the essence of
one of the most accomplished singer songwriters in history. Co
written with Jay Cox, who did Silence, by the director
of the film James Mangold. Very fine directory actually for
Versus Ferrari was an excellent movie as well that he did,
and his dedication to authenticity I've found really impressive. The
look that the feel, the sound of the times all
(30:21):
captured very skillfully. And as Dylan wrote, dare I use
a cliche? The times they are a change. And the
actors and this is what really I thought that did
a brilliant job. They did their own singing and playing
and because of COVID. They basically had five years to
work on this and that really has paid off. Vocally,
(30:41):
they're awesome, and of course the music. While the music
is that, the hits and the lesson no numbers. And
I happen to be a huge Dylan fan, so I
don't need to say any more than that. But even
if you're not, I think this story is really beautifully told.
And Timothy Chalamay is quite luminous as the enigma that
is Bob Dylan. He's driven by the beat of his
own drum, and he's aloof he's restless, he's unrelenting.
Speaker 2 (31:05):
And you've got el Fanning wearing.
Speaker 1 (31:07):
Her heart on a sleeve of Silvie Russo, who time
and again had her heart broken, and her adoration and
her disappointment are clearly on show. And I've mentioned Monica
Babaro Melifluis that the tone in her voice she's I
found her quite what's the word revelatory as Baiaz Joan Bias.
(31:29):
I could readily lose myself in those golden tonsils any day.
I'd actually go to a concert that she gives. Her
voice is that powerful and that good. And I really
like Edward Norton as Pete Seeger painted as sort of
one of the good guys whose love of the art
form folk music knows no bounds. And Scoot McNairy is
(31:49):
is quite a tragic but revered figure as the ailing
Woody Guthrie and Boyd holbrook inbues Johnny Cash with muscularity.
So I reckon this is a very very fine James
Mangold is to be congratulated.
Speaker 2 (32:02):
Timothy Schelomy o'l.
Speaker 1 (32:04):
It captures the essence of a musical genius who refused
to be tamed.
Speaker 2 (32:09):
So let's start with you on this one, Peter, what
did you think of a complete Unknown?
Speaker 4 (32:15):
I was very impressed by the film because as a
biopic it wasn't afraid to be a warts and all
sort of characterization of Bob Dylan and the way he
did treat women, et cetera, which was very stand offish. Look,
it's remarkably well production designed. Certainly the sixties are really
(32:38):
well evoked, and all the actors, as you said, are excellentists,
especially the ones who singing for themselves rather than being dubbed.
And Chala Maay is superb the in the title role.
Was I really like this film I'm not a great
Bob Dylan fan, but I was impressed by the story
(32:59):
and by the characterization, and by the sixties time period
and how he slotted in to that time period. So yep,
I highly recommend a film.
Speaker 2 (33:10):
And Sandy, you start off with some remarks. What more
can you say about a complete unknown? Sandy? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (33:18):
Sorry, sorry, I really did like it. It's a great story.
Speaker 8 (33:23):
His life is super interesting, especially during that period, and
how you revolutionized the whole music industry is just fascinating.
I hated the casting of the guy who played Johnny Cash.
I thought that was really bad. But I will go
along with you with everybody else.
Speaker 3 (33:41):
Apart from apart from.
Speaker 2 (33:45):
What's her name?
Speaker 3 (33:47):
Was cast well to Baas.
Speaker 2 (33:50):
Thank you's character? You okay?
Speaker 8 (33:53):
Yeah, but I thought in saying that the acting is great,
the singing was great.
Speaker 3 (33:58):
I did. I did really enjoy it.
Speaker 8 (34:00):
And it's a long movie, but it didn't feel like
a long movie because he wanted to keep watching and
see what happened.
Speaker 2 (34:06):
That moved along very well.
Speaker 3 (34:07):
I enjoyed it.
Speaker 2 (34:08):
Now, Greg, you said you like this more than the Brutalist.
Speaker 6 (34:12):
Yes, I did, but there's any justification I reckon. Timothy
Shell May deserves an oscar, but there, yeah it he
in habits to carry with Bob John From the first
time you see him on the screen with that hat
carrying a guitar jacket, which is straight off one of
his album covers, you accept this is Bob Dylan, isn't.
Speaker 2 (34:31):
I mean we talked about great actors. Timothy shallow May
is certainly from I think it was twenty seventeen that
he came on board with Call Me by Your Name,
and boy did he announce himself.
Speaker 1 (34:42):
And it's hard to believe he's for such a strong career.
He's only a young guy, right, I mean we're relatively
young guy, so you know, he hasn't been around forever.
Speaker 2 (34:51):
But what he touches seems to turn the gold.
Speaker 1 (34:54):
And you know, I commend him for that because you
know he's had a huge impact, more than most his age,
don't you agree?
Speaker 6 (35:02):
Yeah, well, it's just amazing now that Adrian Radio wife
when he won his first oscart.
Speaker 2 (35:06):
Well, I believe he's only twenty nine, isn't Is that?
Speaker 6 (35:09):
So that was Aiding Rowe when he won his first
OSCU Yeah, okay, anyway, Look, we've had a number of
music bio pips in recent years things like Bohemian Rhapsody, Rocketman,
Elvis better Man, etcetera. But I think A Completely Unknown
is one of the best entries in this subgenre. And
the fact that it concentrates on one sort of pivotual
period in his life rather than following his entire story,
(35:31):
gives the film a stronger focus.
Speaker 5 (35:33):
And and if you're not a particular fan.
Speaker 6 (35:35):
Of Dylan Or's music, this is an absorbing biopic that
a chempt to capture the essence of this thing is
prickly elusive and reclusive personality there.
Speaker 5 (35:45):
And I thought Timothy Eacheller may.
Speaker 6 (35:48):
In Habits of Charactery highlights the contradictions and contrary nature
of Dyllian's character. He delivers his most impressive performance today,
I think. And the fact that he does his own
singing and he captures Dylan's, particularly the sinaty of Nasally style,
added to the film, I thought, and I agree ed.
Norton was superb as Seega, bringing an essential air of
distancing integrity to the character.
Speaker 5 (36:10):
I thought, even though you don't like even though.
Speaker 6 (36:12):
Sandy didn't like Boyd Hollbrook as Johnny Cashier, he did
capture his signature shotgun style guitar playing though, And I
like the film, I thought, and Peter's mentioned the period
detail is really beautifully done there. The cinematography immerses is
into this aesthetic of New York in the early sixties
where smoke, film, music clubs and all that kind of stuff.
Speaker 5 (36:34):
And I thought, I like chat Jank Mangol as a director.
Speaker 6 (36:36):
I think his mascularly direction and attention to detail worked
for this film.
Speaker 5 (36:40):
And the soundtrack is later with plenty of hits from
the era. So yeah, I like this film for me.
It's one of the rest films for the years so far.
Speaker 1 (36:49):
Now I want to ask you about Monica Barbara. You
haven't commented on her. That's saying he didn't sort of
appreciate this.
Speaker 5 (36:54):
All right, as John Bayers?
Speaker 2 (36:56):
Yeah, okay, fair enough. And what about sorry, Greg say.
Speaker 6 (37:00):
I've got nothing really about droned by his to compare
or with. So I'm sure she did with a job
of caption her mm hmm.
Speaker 1 (37:07):
The well Jackie, you and Dylan and what do what
do you think of at a complete unknown?
Speaker 2 (37:15):
I'm a Gyllan fan.
Speaker 7 (37:15):
I've seen him in Melbourne Live twice.
Speaker 5 (37:18):
Huh yeah, yeah. Did he have his back to when
he played sorry, did he did he have his back to.
Speaker 2 (37:25):
You when he played?
Speaker 7 (37:27):
Did he have his back to me when he played that?
Speaker 6 (37:31):
He has many times performed on stage and had his
back to your had his back to the audience.
Speaker 2 (37:36):
All the time.
Speaker 3 (37:37):
Oh, he didn't have another guy, isn't he?
Speaker 6 (37:40):
Yeah, when he was at Blues Fester about three or
four years three or four years ago.
Speaker 5 (37:45):
Apparently he's had his back to the audience the whole
time you play.
Speaker 1 (37:50):
So is that is that about the fandom thing that
is obviously captured that he does uncomfortable?
Speaker 5 (37:55):
Yeah? Yeah, or is a looseness on stage?
Speaker 2 (37:57):
Yeah? Okay.
Speaker 7 (38:02):
Excellent film. It captures that era, It captures the vibe
and the era and this young man sort of you know,
launching himself out into the music world. His obsession with
music is what.
Speaker 2 (38:16):
Really comes through in this film.
Speaker 7 (38:19):
And I think that you mentioned, you know, him being
thickle with women and that like he was nineteen twenty
twenty one, you know, you know a lot of young guys.
I didn't think it was I didn't think that said
his character so much. It showed what he was up to, yes,
but I didn't judge.
Speaker 2 (38:37):
Him really really Okay, that stuns me.
Speaker 1 (38:41):
Actually, because I must admit I have felt the same way,
ass Andy. I thought, you know what a heel I like,
clearly the amalgam character that he treated her shamefully. I
didn't think there was any excuse for that anyway.
Speaker 3 (38:58):
Yes, years old, you know.
Speaker 1 (39:02):
But okay, so I've got no idea. You know, I
don't know his background and how he was brought up,
et cetera, et cetera, but he kind of he sort
of stamped all over her, and I just didn't think
that was appropriate.
Speaker 2 (39:15):
But anyway, that's just me.
Speaker 7 (39:17):
Well, maybe he wasn't one hundred percent passionately in love
with her, and you know, there were intimate conversations that
this film doesn't make us privy toy. So anyway, that
didn't worry me so much. It was an interesting part
of his growth period here, and talking of it being,
as Peter said, just a very short period of his
(39:39):
life really intensified it for me. And I would see
this film again for every four year period of Pop
Kellen's life if it would done up spell as.
Speaker 2 (39:49):
Part seven of Villain's How Old is He Now? Is
eighty three or something? Right? Eighty five? Okay, So Jackie,
you can break that up for me? Shall you.
Speaker 5 (39:59):
Three? And so I'm going to interrupt. This film works
much better as.
Speaker 6 (40:03):
A film about Dylan that thing I'm not there, the
one where from Todd six differing great?
Speaker 7 (40:11):
I agree, yes, yeah, it's it's much more use of
frowd should we what?
Speaker 1 (40:16):
Do you have?
Speaker 5 (40:17):
An insightful I thought?
Speaker 2 (40:20):
Wonder? Sorry, both of you agree.
Speaker 1 (40:22):
One of the things that struck me though we talked
about this, that he had they had five years if
you like, in terms of perfecting their singing and whatever.
I think that was a luxury that you know, very
few filmmakers have, and it just because because of the times,
I think that made it a better film.
Speaker 2 (40:40):
Do you not agree with that? I'm tired, and I.
Speaker 6 (40:43):
Don't know whether the time made it a better film
or not. I think it's just the way to it
all hang together.
Speaker 2 (40:47):
It worked from the film in as much as obviously,
if you're going to suddenly adopt the singing of somebody
who still exists, that's a hell of a it's a
hell of an ask right not only to sing, but
to actually sing. In that same show, you've got.
Speaker 6 (41:05):
Bipits like better Man of Robin Williams who still around
Rocketman about Elton John who's still around, so that doesn't.
Speaker 2 (41:11):
Seem to be an issue. Okay, sorry, Jackie, please go ahead.
Speaker 3 (41:15):
I agree with you, Alex.
Speaker 7 (41:17):
I think that was one of the pivotal things about
this film that I was gobsmacked when I first heard
Timothy Chalomay singing with Dylan's voice. I was blown away.
I thought he was just spot on with that, and
it really showed a commitment to his craft in that,
(41:37):
and the guitar work as well, and the what's that
thing called the harmonica monitor work that he did as well.
Speaker 1 (41:45):
It very please you mention that, Jackie, because that really
was it was very special. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (41:51):
I agree, And of.
Speaker 7 (41:53):
Course it was also covered that period of time when
you know, as he rose in fame, you know, quite dramatic,
and was dealing with that to then turn his back
on folk music. This is a critical point of the
film to you know, sort of about two thirds through
and goes electric. You know, how his relationship with his
(42:16):
passionate huge following really turns there. That's I found that interesting.
But one thing I would.
Speaker 2 (42:23):
Have liked more of there.
Speaker 9 (42:24):
Was some uh some relationship with him finding his protest
voice and singing, and that becoming very popular in the
current we saw some of.
Speaker 7 (42:37):
The current affairs that was that on the TV usually
was where it came up. I would have liked even
more of that, you know, more setting in the times,
more of what was going on, and I think that
could have feeled me more. But but nevertheless it was
well done that way.
Speaker 2 (42:52):
No terrific.
Speaker 1 (42:53):
Okay, So let's get some scores. Let's start with you, Sandy,
Complete unknown. It's M rated. It's one hundred and forty
one minutes, two hours, twenty one score out of ten
eight eight out of ten.
Speaker 2 (43:05):
Okay, Greg Greek King.
Speaker 4 (43:07):
Nine out of ten, m Peter nine out of ten
from me, Jacqueline nine out of ten, and eight and
a half from me.
Speaker 1 (43:16):
Well, there's a strong consistency there that is most impressive.
A complete unknown on Jaya, you're talking to Alex First
and Jackie Hamilton, to Sandy Kay, to Peter Kraus and
to Greg King. Now Maria talking about biopics etca em
rated two hours and three minutes. The lauded American born
(43:37):
Greek opera singer Maria Kallis, who lived from nineteen twenty
three to nineteen seventy seven, so a relatively short life.
Her final days are captured in this movie, and by
then her famed soprano voice has gone and she hasn't
performed in years, and she's played by Angelina Jolie. She's
holed up in her luxury Paris apartment with her two
(44:01):
loyal staff for Eruccio and Bruna, along with a couple
of small dogs. I'm sure you would appreciate that, Jackie. Anyway,
she's popping pills as if their lolly is and having
frequent hallucinations. She pines for the love of her life,
shipping magnate Aristotle onases. Now a television crew led by
(44:23):
an interviewer called Mandrax, filled by an Australian actor called
Cody Smith McPhee arrives to film a documentary on her
life and she's prevailed upon to make one final attempt
at singing like she used to.
Speaker 2 (44:37):
Which proves futile.
Speaker 1 (44:39):
Now in her mind, she remains the diva for which
she was noted as being, and she can be aloof,
she can be dismissive, indignant, but she still covets adoration.
So it's very much an interpretation of Callous's end by
the writer Stephen Knight and the director Pablo Lorraine, who
also collaborated on I'd Say on Spencer, and it flits
(45:02):
between black and white and color interspersed with actual footage
of callous performing, and the picture of painters is hardly
a pretty one. The film reveals how she met and
was pursued by Aristotle on asses while she was still married,
and it details how he did not want her to sing,
(45:22):
and it harks back to her difficult, impoverished childhood with
her sister and how she was estranged from her mother.
And it's difficult to discern how much of what's presented
is actually fact and how much is fiction. One thing
is clear, hers was hardly a trouble free life, and
while watching Marie, I couldn't help but think of Lorraine's
earlier biopic Jackie, that was on the first Lady, Jacqueline
(45:45):
Kennedy on as Eventually, there are similarities in style, elements
of fantasy and whimsy, and Angelina Jolly inhabits the soul
of callous with style.
Speaker 2 (45:56):
She sings well. Although I wasn't always sold on the
lip sinking. I found that troubling, especially early on.
Speaker 1 (46:03):
I appreciated the representation of the man servant for Ruccio,
and basically he tried everything possible to try to help
Callous in spite of herself having said that, it became
perfectly clear that the end was near and she'd do
what she ultimately wanted to do. Ultimately, there's a turbulence
and sadness about Maria the film and its representation of
(46:25):
a fated songstress who lived for the stage, and as
shown in this movie, she soared and then she stumbled. So, okay,
let's do a comparison here, Jackie, what did you think
of Maria compared to a complete unknown and Maria on
its own?
Speaker 7 (46:45):
Oh, Alexa barely gave Maria a pass?
Speaker 2 (46:48):
Really? Okay?
Speaker 5 (46:49):
Dollars dishwater?
Speaker 2 (46:52):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (46:53):
Yeah, so you wanted, you wanted more, you wanted There
wasn't enough substance to it. Is that what you say
you said was it's.
Speaker 7 (47:00):
Time too hard to be mysterious and artists, I think,
and I didn't feel as though I got to know
the person. And even Angeline Sholley is highly respect as
an actress. I think she's amazing. She just didn't look
right in this. Maybe she was too beautiful, or maybe she.
Speaker 1 (47:18):
Was really that's interesting Okay. I actually thought she represented
Callous very very well. I kind of wondered whether the
whole idea of I'm not sure how many months it represents,
but you know, the focusing on the end of her
life and whatever, I kind of wondered whether that was
the right choice.
Speaker 2 (47:39):
Actually, I don't know whether you thought that while you
were watching it.
Speaker 7 (47:41):
I think I agree with you on that. There's definitely
something off about it that just didn't get into me.
Speaker 1 (47:49):
Yep, okay to jet Yes, I was going to call
you next to Anyways, Where's Go?
Speaker 8 (47:56):
This movie focuses only on the last week of life, aptly,
only the last seven days, which seems to be a
very strange choice for somebody who ultimately dies.
Speaker 2 (48:07):
Right.
Speaker 8 (48:07):
It's very very dark, and I didn't get a sense
of the joy that Maria Callis either felt while she
was singing in her in her heyday or the joy
she gave to an audience. So there was no there
There was no cutting into the timeline to kind of
reflect on what she had been. What we see is
(48:28):
a very sorry woman. I don't think Angelina Jolie was
the right woman to play this part. She does play
it quite well, but she doesn't look anything like Maria Callis.
Speaker 3 (48:40):
Maria Callis was chouted.
Speaker 8 (48:41):
As being one of the most beautiful women in the world.
But with the end credits role and you see what
she actually looked like. I kind of found myself going
why because she she was no beauty in my humble opinion,
But I didn't think.
Speaker 2 (48:56):
I mean, I think Angelina Jolie is a very attractive
lady is, Yeah, I.
Speaker 3 (48:59):
Do, But she didn't look a thing like Maria Callis.
I think there are a whole lot of actresses out
there that could.
Speaker 7 (49:04):
Have sometimes doesn't matter, you can believe anyway if they didn't.
Speaker 8 (49:10):
And I thought that that Angelina was way too skinny.
Now I do know that Maria Callis lost a whole
lot of weight between nineteen fifty three and ninety four.
Speaker 3 (49:19):
That made it harder for her to support her vocal parrots.
Speaker 8 (49:22):
All about her losing this voice of hers and not
being able to sing anymore.
Speaker 3 (49:26):
Right, She suffered from a.
Speaker 8 (49:28):
Disease called dermatomysotis, which is an auto autoimmune disease that
causes muscle inflammation and weakness difficulty swallowing. She was nearly
blind on stage. She couldn't see anything anymore. She had
a neuromuscular disease. She was also clearly addicted to speed
and other sedatives, and she was overworked. She was a
(49:49):
shell of her former self, which is okay if that's the.
Speaker 3 (49:52):
Bit of her that you want to explore.
Speaker 8 (49:55):
Personally, if it was my life, I wouldn't want my
worst bits highlighted like that.
Speaker 3 (49:59):
I've at least pay some attention to my best bits.
Speaker 8 (50:02):
And that's what the director did, both with the Jackie
film and with the Princess Diana one that he did too.
Speaker 3 (50:09):
It wasn't all just darkness.
Speaker 7 (50:13):
And rapt to make a film about you will remember
you saying that we'll focus on your best bits sake,
thank you, Jackie.
Speaker 2 (50:18):
That would be great, and it.
Speaker 1 (50:20):
Was very diplomatically put as well. I thought, it's any
we'll focus on your best bits. But there you go.
Having having said that, it's the down nature of this
that you seem to be picking up on that makes
it a hard watch.
Speaker 2 (50:33):
Is that what you're saying? Well, it was.
Speaker 3 (50:35):
It was all dark.
Speaker 8 (50:36):
There was no light and shade about it at all.
It was just all shade, and as a result, it's
pretty boring. I mean, I didn't really give it down
whether she died today or in a few days time.
Speaker 1 (50:47):
Okay, fair enough, there you go straight to the point, Peter,
are you going to give it any any greater credence
than we have?
Speaker 2 (50:56):
Thus farn Well.
Speaker 4 (50:57):
I admire the director Pablo Lorraine because this is the
third part of his trilogy dealing with prominent women who,
in the last week or so of their life had
to deal with a number of personal issues. And so
I think after Jackie and Spencer and then now with Maria,
he's done a reasonable job in trying to portray that.
(51:20):
And yes, Maria's last week or so of her life
is somewhat darker. It's interesting to note that this is
a semi remake of a film that was made twenty
years ago. Would start Fannie adult as Maria Callous, which
also dealt with the last week of her life, but
dealt with it in a somewhat more positive sort of way.
(51:44):
And there was an excellent documentary Maria by Callous about
seven years ago which dealt with the whole persona of
Maria Callous.
Speaker 5 (51:53):
So I didn't mind this film.
Speaker 4 (51:55):
I thought he'd done a reasonable job in trying to
portray the personal issues that she had to deal with
in the last week of her life. I just didn't
feel that it was a strong enough depiction of Maria Kallis.
And yes, we had to see the real Maria Kallos
in the newsreels and so on at the end of
the film to have perhaps a bit more understanding of
(52:19):
who she was, although not not particularly much. The Cody
Smit McPhee character was totally unnecessary and was a device
put in just to show that she wanted to talk
about her life, but it was just it didn't do
anything for me. So look, overall, a mild disappointment, but nevertheless,
(52:40):
there's enough in the film to admire, and I think
Angelina Joly did a reasonable job in trying to mimic
the last week of Maria Kallis's life.
Speaker 2 (52:50):
Now, Greg, we're short on time.
Speaker 1 (52:51):
I'm sorry to say that to you, but what were
your thoughts about Maria.
Speaker 6 (52:56):
I thought it was super gambat didn't do any more
the multiple different formats you use, you know, jumps in time,
there is no real idea of what time frame we're in.
Speaker 5 (53:06):
Half the time and that character that you.
Speaker 6 (53:10):
Alluded to, Peter, the Cody smithmfree character named man rex
I read somewhere that that's actually the name of a
drug that Maria Carlis was on. That's where that name
came from. Shit, he was just a big winute of
her imagination. Yeah, I didn't like this film at all.
When you're compared for a complete unknown, this is.
Speaker 5 (53:29):
Awful.
Speaker 2 (53:30):
Okay. So so Greg, what are you giving Maria? Which
is m runs for two hours, three minutes out of ten,
four hour ten, four out of ten. Okay, it's sandy.
Speaker 8 (53:44):
I'll give it five and a half, just because I'm
that kind of person.
Speaker 2 (53:47):
Yeah, they going to Okay.
Speaker 3 (53:48):
Jacqueline, Well, I gave it fast far and a half.
Speaker 2 (53:51):
Two okay, two, five and a half.
Speaker 4 (53:54):
Peter, I gave it six out of ten because there
are some aspects of it that I admired, and.
Speaker 2 (54:00):
As seven out of ten. So there we go. All right,
So compared to the others, this is not Oscar witting material.
Speaker 1 (54:05):
Let's be honest. That's what we're all saying. Look, it's
been a real pleasure, guys, thank you very much. Indeed,
it's so much better to get you know, not that
it is male and female, but it's really great to
have a greater sense of balance than we often do so.
Thank you very much indeed for your contribution Jackie, Sandy,
Greg and Peter, and we will do it again very
very soon. First, on film and entertainment. Enjoy yourselves, go
(54:28):
to the movies. Enjoy going to the films and being
dark in places.
Speaker 2 (54:33):
Speak to you very soon.
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