Lincoln (2012, Steven Spielberg) - Screening Notes

"The greatest measure of the Nineteenth Century. Passed by corruption, aided and abetted by the purest man in America."

In Frank Capra's classic movie Mr Smith Goes to Washington (1939) a regular guy enters politics and is horrified by the corruption he witnesses. At his lowest ebb he considers quitting but finds new strength at the Lincoln Monument. Capra backlights Lincoln's statue making it look God-like, a mythical figure. Interesting then to see Steven Spielberg's biopic which presents Lincoln in an earthier fashion. A man who argues with his wife, tells jokes in company, and is more than capable of dealing with the complexities of political life. Tony Kushner's screenplay begins in 1865 amongst the blood and chaos of the Civil War then follows Lincoln's attempts over the next year to win the twenty votes he needs to force through the Thirteenth Amendment banning slavery.

Kushner previously collaborated with Spielberg on another historically based movie Munich (2005) about the Israeli hit squad seeking reprisals for the eleven murdered athletes at the 1972 Olympics. He is best known in the US for his Pulitzer winning play Angels in America set at the height of the AIDS epidemic and his writing has a grittiness which counterpoints Spielberg's tendency towards grand spectacle. Though epic in scale and length Lincoln takes place mostly indoors and concerns itself more with the backroom deals, political machinations, the compromises needed and sometimes cast aside for progress to be made. At the heart of the film is a towering performance from Daniel Day-Lewis, suggesting both the charisma of Lincoln and the greatness in the man which still makes him the most revered of all American Presidents. 

The Impossible - Screening Notes

"I will find them, I promise you that."

The Impossible is based on the true story of the Alvaraz family and their incredible struggle to survive the Tsunami which devastated Thailand in 2004. Though the family's nationality has been changed from Spanish to British the film is apparently a credible recreation of events. Ewan McGregor and Naomi Watts play parents whose career worries fade into insignificance when they are separated from each other by the disaster. Henry (McGregor) is left with two of their boys, while eldest son Lucas (Tom Holland) is swept away with Maria (Watts).

Director Juan Antonio Bayano made his feature debut with the creepy horror film The Orphanage (2007) and you can see the influence of that genre here. Bayano builds tension with close-ups of everyday objects being used (a juice blender, a ball bouncing) that coupled together with the ominous music seem to act as portents. The first act makes it very clear the devastating the effects of the Tsunami hitting the resort and the sound design department captures every crunching noise as trees are snapped like twigs, buildings demolished, and people dragged underwater. Camerawork is often handheld and used to disorient the viewer.

It would be unfair to reveal any more except to say after this powerful opening sequence the film becomes a journey through a ruined landscape as the survivors come together and try to find their own folk. While Watts received an Oscar nomination for her performance and McGregor also impresses young Tom Holland steals the film as the resourceful Lucas. There is also a striking but all too brief appearance from Geraldine Chaplin as a kindly stranger. The Impossible is a powerful but ultimately rewarding viewing experience. 

Written by Sergio G. Sánchez, Maria Bélon

Directed by Juan Antonio Bayano

Running time 114 mins

Bond Movies - The Beginning

The Bond films are released on Blu-ray over the next couple of weeks so I'm going to post some Bond related articles starting with reviews of Dr No and From Russia with Love, both directed by Terence Young whose contribution to the look and feel of a James Bond movie can still be seen in the franchise fifty years later. 

Dr No (1962, Terence Young)

Courtesy of MGM

"World domination. The same old dream."

Once upon a time, many years ago, when Sean Connery still had most of his hair, audiences saw a James Bond film for the very first time. Nowadays most people have their favourite Bond actor, or movie, or Bond girl, but they went to see Dr No without any of the baggage modern audiences bring to the franchise. Though it is rougher than later Bond movies Dr No remains of huge interest not just for starting the franchise, but for its contribution to the action movie.

Barry Nelson had played an Americanised version of James Bond in a TV version of Casino Royale in 1954 but it was not a success. Producers Albert ‘Cubby’ Broccoli and Harry Saltzman considered a number of actors for the role of James Bond. Novelist and Bond creator Ian Fleming wanted David Niven, while Cubby and Saltzman courted Danger Man star Patrick McGoohan. Dana Broccoli, Cubby’s wife, saw a rugged-looking actor in the slightly barmy musical Darby O’Gill and the Little People (Robert Stevenson 1959) and told her husband she'd found his 007.

Until Mrs Broccoli clapped her eyes on him Sean Connery was a bit-part player in movies like Tarzan's Greatest Adventure (John Guillerman 1959) and Cy Enfield’s brilliant Hell Drivers (1957). A working-class Scot rather than the posh boy Fleming wanted, director Terence Young spruced Connery up and knocked off a few of those rough edges.

James Bond (Connery) is sent to Jamaica to investigate the deaths of two British agents. Teaming up with CIA operative Felix Leiter (Jack Lord), Bond finds himself on an island belonging to the mysterious Dr No (Joseph Wiseman), who has a nuclear laboratory and intends to reroute rockets from Cape Canaveral.

 Although Dr No lays down the formula for the James Bond franchise there are some noticeable differences. There is no pre-title sequence and no song playing over the opening credits. Stuntman Bob Simmons performs the gun barrel walk instead of Sean Connery. Guy Hamilton would click all the elements into place with Goldfinger, but Dr No and From Russia with Love are grittier than many of the films that would follow them.

Despite this there are still plenty of the Bondian touches audiences would come to know and expect from a James Bond film. The villain is a meglomaniac with a physical impairment and there is plenty of action though these sequences are far more low-key than the extravagant set-pieces the franchis has become known for. Best of all is the young, lean and fit Sean Connery as Bond, in his element and ruthlessly delivering a pay-off line Dirty Harry would be proud of to one of his victims, "That's a Smith and Wesson, and you've had your six."

There is also a girl and she is remarkable, though calling her a girl does her a disservice. When Ursula Andress emerges from the sea it is fairly obvious she is all woman. Every time a new Bond film is released we hear the same old spiel from actresses and the press about how this time the girls are more than mere decoration, they are strong women. It's nonsense, Bond girls were always strong. Honey Ryder (Andress) casually delivers an anecdote about killing a man with a poisonous spider because he interfered with her. She might look great in a bikini but Honey is tough enough to deal with any man, even James Bond.

From Russia with Love (1963, Terence Young)

Courtesy of MGM

"Red wine with fish. That should have told me something."

After the box-office success of Dr No work quickly began on a sequel.  Producers Albert R. Broccoli and Harry Saltzman intended to put together a Bond film every year though they would find this to be increasingly difficult as the size of the productions grew increasingly bigger.  From Russia with Love had twice the budget afforded to Dr No and its filming remains one of the most troubled shoots in the franchises history.  

SPECTRE wants revenge for the death of their agent Dr No at the hands of James Bond (Sean Connery).  They set a trap for Bond by tipping the British of about a decoding device called the Lektor the Russians have designed, knowing full well they will send Bond after it. 

SPECTRE assign Soviet double-agent Rosa Klebb (Lotte Lenya) and ruthless assassin Red Grant (Robert Shaw) to obtain the Lektor and kill Bond.  Klebb forces a beautiful young Soviet agent Tatiana Romanov (Daniela Bianchi) to seduce Bond and lure him into SPECTRE’s trap. 

From Russia with Love had some serious problems during production.  The screenplay was a work in progress.  Actor Pedro Armendariz became gravely ill during filming and was diagnosed with cancer.  The shooting schedule was rearranged to accommodate Armendiaz allowing him to film all his scenes together. 

Director Terence Young had a lucky escape while filming a boat chase when the helicopter he was travelling in spiraled out of control and sank into the sea.  Showing the kind of fortitude 007 would have been proud Young escaped from the stricken aircraft and returned to work immediately after being treated at the scene. 

From Russia with Love sees two iconic figures in Bond history making their first appearances in the franchise.  Desmond Llelwyn begins his long-running stint as Q, MI6’s gadget master, forever upset with Bond for misusing his inventions.  Bond’s nemesis Blofeld is also present, although his face is never shown.  Blofeld’s voice is provided by Eric Pohlmann while Anthony Dawson is the unseen actor holding the trademark white cat.

From Russia with Love was a huge success outgunning its predecessor at the box-office.  Audiences at the time could identify with the stand-off between East and West in From Russia with Love after witnessing the Cuban missile crisis the year before.  They could also be comforted by the idea of the British and Soviets working together to defeat a common enemy. 

Though Terence Young’s direction seems rather staid these days, Peter Hunt’s editing livens things up especially during the vicious showdown between Bond and Red Grant onboard the Orient Express, where the two big men smash each other around in a confined space.