I have been wanting to see Peter Greenaway's debut feature length film for a while now. It was a pleasure to finally do so (thanks to Fandor streaming service and free trials).
This is certainly the most straightforward Greenaway film I have seen. Plenty of the key Greenaway elements are here intact... complex dialogue that holds bundles of dry humor within it, beautiful environments, beautiful wardrobe, beautiful photography, controversial sexual themes, and, the most important part...a goosebump-inducing orchestral score composed by THE MAESTRO himself, MICHAEL NYMAN. The lead character, Mr. Neville, played by Anthony Higgins, carries the film wonderfully as the type of person who will say what everyone else is thinking but is afraid to say. He's a bit of an anti-hero, a total jerk, and it's very entertaining.
As is the case with a lot of Greenaway films, the audio/visual aspect of the movie is it's primary strength. The plot and it's progressions are very simple, and not that exciting when it comes down to it. If this had been my first impression of Greenaway, I may had been more blown away by it, but really, why would I watch this again when I could watch his masterpiece The Cook The Thief His Wife & Her Lover over and over again, or if I really just wanted an-all out audio/visual feast, Prospero's Books is MUCH more SINGULAR, and thus, intriguing when it comes to stimulation. A Zed & Two Noughts is similar in the manner that it's stunning to look at and listen to, but the plot is almost irrelevant. The incredibly underrated BABY OF MACON is a perfect meeting point between audio/visual and story though - and is definitely my 2nd favorite film I have seen by him.
It was funny that when I searched this film on Letterboxd, 5 reviews for THE FAVOURITE came up before this film did. I was totally thinking of that film the entire time I was watching this. The truth is that The Favourite is a much better film overall. But, for fans of Greenaway, audio/visual art, or the avant-garde in general, you're going to want to see this.
This is certainly the most straightforward Greenaway film I have seen. Plenty of the key Greenaway elements are here intact... complex dialogue that holds bundles of dry humor within it, beautiful environments, beautiful wardrobe, beautiful photography, controversial sexual themes, and, the most important part...a goosebump-inducing orchestral score composed by THE MAESTRO himself, MICHAEL NYMAN. The lead character, Mr. Neville, played by Anthony Higgins, carries the film wonderfully as the type of person who will say what everyone else is thinking but is afraid to say. He's a bit of an anti-hero, a total jerk, and it's very entertaining.
As is the case with a lot of Greenaway films, the audio/visual aspect of the movie is it's primary strength. The plot and it's progressions are very simple, and not that exciting when it comes down to it. If this had been my first impression of Greenaway, I may had been more blown away by it, but really, why would I watch this again when I could watch his masterpiece The Cook The Thief His Wife & Her Lover over and over again, or if I really just wanted an-all out audio/visual feast, Prospero's Books is MUCH more SINGULAR, and thus, intriguing when it comes to stimulation. A Zed & Two Noughts is similar in the manner that it's stunning to look at and listen to, but the plot is almost irrelevant. The incredibly underrated BABY OF MACON is a perfect meeting point between audio/visual and story though - and is definitely my 2nd favorite film I have seen by him.
It was funny that when I searched this film on Letterboxd, 5 reviews for THE FAVOURITE came up before this film did. I was totally thinking of that film the entire time I was watching this. The truth is that The Favourite is a much better film overall. But, for fans of Greenaway, audio/visual art, or the avant-garde in general, you're going to want to see this.