Running Time: 123 minutesDirected By: Theo Angelopoulos
Written By: Theo Angelopoulos, Eric Heumann, Stephane Sorlat
Main Cast: Michalis Zeke, Tania Palaiologou, Stratos Tzortzoglou, Vassilis Kolovos, Ilias Logothetis
Click here to view the trailer
400!
It's surreal to me to realize that this is the 400th movie review I've written and more importantly, the 400th film I've watched on my 1001 film long journey. However, I won't harp on that accomplishment (yet), but rather, we'll focus on the business at hand and Theo Angelopoulos' "Landscape in the Mist".
Pre-teen Voula (Palaiologou) and the even younger Alexandre (Zeke) are brother and sister. When the film opens, the two children approach a train station and we hear an announcement letting us know that the train is headed for Germany. They approach the doors, but don't enter the train. The next night, they do the same thing, but this time board the train. However, they're kicked off when they're found without tickets. We find out that they're in search of their father, whom their mother told them lived in Germany. They're informed by their uncle, that the father is simply some random man and that his residence in Germany was made up by their mother. They refuse to believe this and since they can't seem to stay onboard the train, they decide to hitchhike to Germany, to meet the father whom they miss intensely, despite never meeting him. On the way, they are befriended by Orestis (Tzortzoglou), a theater actor who drives a motorcycle and despite thinking the children are weird, loves them. However, their time with Orestis doesn't last and later, they hitch a ride with a truck driver, which proves to be a bad idea. Trekking through the rain, snow and fog, the children won't rest until they're united with their father, who may or may not exist.
Call me stupid, but I've always found it very difficult to get into movies where children are the main characters. I mean, I really have absolutely no reasoning for it, it's just one of those things I can't explain. This movie kind of gave off a really wholesome feeling and aside from the camerawork, the music and a few choice scenes, this really came off as the Greek equivalent to a Lifetime movie - two kids searching for their father, hitchhiking along the roads and meeting different characters along the way.However, despite my inexplicable hesitancy's along the way, there's really no denying that this picture had traces of brilliance. Yorgos Arvinitis' camerawork was, by far, the best part of the film. There are so many visual feasts as you watch "Landscape in the Mist", that most of the time the plot doesn't really matter. There's also a slow, melancholy score that accompanies the children as they trek across Greece, and at times, you're forced to feel, even when you're not feeling the entire picture. I'll keep it short today, but give this one a shot. It's not perfect (at least from my perspective), but the visual imagery alone is worth your time.
RATING: 7/10 Maybe I'm being a tad generous, but it's the day I hit 400, so I have reason to be a little generous. And then there was 1!
MOVIES WATCHED: 400
MOVIES LEFT TO WATCH: 601
January 15, 2012 2:32pm
IMPORTANT TO OTHERS WHO HAVE NOT SEEN THIS FILM YET - PLOT SPOILERS in my comment
ReplyDeleteWell, by co-incidence, I happened to see this for the first time a couple of days ago as well. I also struggle to relate to, or even like films with young children as lead characters, but for this one I will happily make an exception.
That said, it did leave me more than a little baffled...
What do you think.. were they killed at the end? ..Two children, one shot?
And what upset her so much? I read that the club was a gay club, and she (imagined herself to be) in love with him, and became upset and outraged. Either by disappointment, or her upbringing gave her to think being gay was bad.
And what was that hand bit about??
OK, perhaps a tad slow at times, but loved the mood. Looking forward to getting 'travelling players'
Ray
I think I was in such a hurry to wrap up that review that I forgot to cover a few points, so thanks for reminding me.
ReplyDeleteYes, I took the bar to be a gay bar, but didn't make the connection that Voula was in love with Orestis, although it makes sense.
The ending? Two bullets, one shot? Hmmm, yes at first I thought that Voula was killed and when Alexandre wandered up onto the land, he was going to reach out for his sister, who had been fatally shot. Perhaps she was and it was her spirit that joined him on the hill, in front of the tree.
Ultimately, it was the cinematography that really made this one stand out.
I'm currently making my way through 'The travelling players'. If we thought 'Landscapes' was tricky to follow in places.. and 'players' is 4 hours.
ReplyDeleteSimular comments about mood and photography apply. I will wait till you get to this one to say anymore.
Ray
Thanks for the comment Ray - you've been missed. As far as "Traveling Players" goes, as long as it looks good, I'll be just fine. That's far and away the biggest thing I took away from "Landscape" was the eye popping images.
ReplyDelete