I'll be honest: this is the first I've heard of Ghent or its film festival. Reading over the below dispatch from "Zilkovich", this is apparently my loss. I'll let him explain...
I’m writing to you from Holland, to inform you about my three absolutely awesome days at the 35th Film Festival in Ghent. For all readers who have no clue about Europe, Ghent is a city in Belgium (yes, there are cities in Belgium :D). FF Ghent is widely regarded as one of the best festivals in Europe, and the factor that makes it more special than other festivals is the fact that much attention goes to film music and their composers. I went to Ghent the last 3 days of the festival, which in previous days saw a tribute concert to John Williams (who sadly wasn’t there) and a full concert by Gabriel Yared, who performed all his work of the late Anthony Minghella’s movies. The three days I was there though, were absolute bliss as well.
My favorite composer, Clint Mansell, was performing with the Sonus Quartet on the first evening. Mansell seemed like a pretty reserved but also really cool guy, who couldn’t believe 600 people actually paid to see him perform his work on Darren Aronofsky’s movies. The stuff that was performed was absolutely amazing, everything from the music from ‘Pi’ to ‘Requiem For A Dream’ to ‘The Fountain’, and yes, also 'The Wrestler', came into play. Especially the main theme from ‘Requiem’ and the track ‘Death Is The Road To Awe’ from 'The Fountain' were amazing to hear in a live setting. Goosebumps would undermine to express what I felt during those performances. Amazing. The theme from 'The Wrestler' that was performed was awesome too, but more about that later. Mansell and the Sonus Quartet received a standing ovation at the end, and rightfully so!!
(I don’t know which of the following movies have received much attention or were actually released in the U.S., so please feel free to edit.)
Day two I went to four very different, but mostly also very interesting movies. First off there was ‘Hunger’, the tale of IRA activist Bobby Sands (Michael Fassbender) and his protest against the extremely brutal prison regime under the Iron Fist of Margaret Thatcher, by means of a hunger strike. There are scenes in ‘Hunger’ that are absolutely unflinching in their visual delivery of showing what these guys went through in prison. Naked imprisonment in cold cells with walls that are smeared with shit and rotting food, with only a mattress to lie on. Verbal and physical violence that seems so realistic, it makes you wonder how director Steve McQueen got away with it during filming. The real strength and core of the film however, is Michael Fassbender ('300'). He goes to some real dark places in the human psyche that should best kept closed. I dare to say his physical transformation during the hunger strike itself, is even more shocking than what Christian Bale put his body through while making 'The Machinist'. The reason for that is probably the emotional development Fassbender’s character goes through in a story that happened for real, versus Bale’s Trevor Reznik, who was a character in a pretty straight-forward thriller. Sadly, just like Bale, Fassbender will surely be overlooked come awards season. Which is a shame, ‘cause this guy deserves all the credit you could give an actor.
Next up was 'Synecdoche, New York', the directing debut of Charlie Kaufman. I honestly cannot explain three days on what it exactly was that I witnessed with Synecdoche. I did understand it in a subconscious kind of way, but I can’t really explain it to you without at least one more viewing. I’d like to note that I’m a fan of all of Kaufman’s writing work on previous movies, which I pretty much all like equally. 'Synecdoche' however, didn’t resonate with me on the first viewing. I can tell you what I did (and didn't) like and admire about this ambitious movie. As always, there was greatness personified as Philip Seymour Hoffman in the lead role. This guy will be seen as one of the greats of his generation when all is said and done. There were also some great (mostly female) supporting performances from people like Samantha Morton, Catherine Keener, Hope Davis, Michelle Williams and Dianne Wiest. Also worth mentioning is the amazing art-direction and the score by Jon Brion. Why didn’t I like 'Synecdoche, New York' then? Well, that’s hard to pinpoint at this stage. I guess this movie just went over my head. Maybe I’m not intelligent enough to understand. Whatever your opinion is on Kaufman, you have to admit the guy has a unique, though fucked up way of looking at things. Would it have been any different if Spike Jonze of Michel Gondry directed this script? I doubt it. So, while not an instant classic, 'Synecdoche, New York' is sure to get geek juices flowing while debating it in the next couple of years.
The real treat of the festival for me was 'The Wrestler' by Darren Aronofsky. It was the closing film of the festival, with only a few (and expensive) seats reserved for ‘regular people’ such as myself. The rest of the crowd consisted of really formal folks who work for sponsors of the festival (and probably had no clue what 'The Wrestler' was about), as well as press people. Also in attendance was composer Clint Mansell and the sound designer (whose name I forgot). They introduced the film to the audience, mentioning how shoe-string the budget and how tight the shooting schedule were. Aronofsky himself wasn’t there unfortunately, due to Oscar buzz relating stuff that’s brewing in Los Angeles. The film itself was just fantastic. Like 'Hunger' and 'Synecdoche', the heart and soul of 'The Wrestler' is its central performance. Mickey Rourke plays Randy ‘The Ram’ Robinson, a washed up former wrestling champ whose life really has hit rock bottom. Rourke will definitely be nominated for an Academy Award come 2009, his performance is the most demanding and powerful I’ve seen all year. I really hope this marks the definitive comeback for Rourke, we need more REAL men like him in leading roles, instead of the pussies who are inhabiting our movies nowadays. And to see the 52=year old Rourke do some awesome and pretty dangerous wrestling moves (to me it was awesome, we don’t see that much wrestling here in Holland) himself in one single shot, is just bliss. Aronofsky’s directing is his most restrained yet (I’m a huge fan of all his movies BTW, so this is neither praise nor criticism) and it pays off in a movie like this. Supporting performances courtesy of Marisa Tomei as an aging (but nevertheless HOT) stripper and Evan Rachel Wood as Robinson’s estranged daughter, complement Rourke’s performance greatly. This is Rourke’s show however, and his work should not be overlooked, not critically, not by awards committees and not by the public. Give this man what his deserved recognition.
Last but not least the same evening, was Simon Pegg’s new comedy; 'How To Lose Friends And Alienate People'. Composer David Arnold (the last few Bond movies, 'Stargate', 'Independence Day' etc.) introduced the movie and mentioned how 'Quantum Of Solace' will be yet again a truly great Bond movie, totally different in tone than 'Casino Royale'….words like leaner, more muscular and more vicious were thrown around by Arnold (who seemed like a genuinely nice guy). 'How To Lose Friends And Alienate People' is based on the book by Toby Young, who changed his and other characters names afraid of being sued. Simon Pegg plays Young, here under the name of Sidney Young. Young is an up-and-coming editor of a successful gossip magazine, when he is recruited by Jeff Bridges’ character, who is the chief editor of Sharps, the world’s biggest glossy. Sidney being an Englishman of course causes him many problems, not least with women such as Kirsten Dunst and Megan Fox. Hilarity ensues and blablabla. We’ve seen plots like this a million times, but How To Lose is still a pretty entertaining film. Again, the central performance sells the ticket. Pegg is at times hilarious. The problem with this movie however is the tone. Subtle humor is too often mixed with more crude jokes, which doesn’t pay off all too well for the most part. Still, a nice date movie that’s better than any Kate Hudson/Matthew McConaughy fluff you can think of.
The last day of the festival I spent partially watching two movies, of which one was great, one not so much. Since I’ve typed a lot already, I’ll leave you with some thought on these movies.
'Transsiberian' was just a mess. I had high hopes for this follow-up to Brad Anderson’s 'The Machinist', but alas this one just falls flat. Despite some nice visual stuff by Anderson, bad acting by Woody Harrelson, Kate Mara and run-of-the-mill stuff by Emily Mortimer and Ben Kingsley, combined with one totally illogical script makes 'Transsiberian' a huge disappointment.
'Man On Wire' was the exact opposite. Though it is a documentary, its narrative is truly captivating, with some moments that are truly magical to see. Philippe Petit, the man who walked on a wire between the two towers of the World Trade Center, makes you believe that NOTHING is impossible to achieve. A really inspirational film.
The last thing I attended during my visit in Ghent, was the World Soundtrack Awards. I had a pretty good seat, and saw some great stuff. First there was the awards ceremony itself, with winners like Marc Streitenfeld (Best New Composer for 'American Gangster'), James Newton Howard (Composer of the Year for 'Charlie Wilson’s War', 'I Am Legend' and 'Michael Clayton'), Dario Marianelli (Best Score for 'Atonement') and Angelo Badalamenti (who took home a prize for his whole body of work) all present to receive their prizes. Badalamenti in particular was just the coolest old guy you can imagine, citing stories about how he met David Lynch, getting involved with Joel Schumacher and almost pissing off Paul Schrader. This was all topped off by a spectacular live orchestration by Dario Marianelli and a huge orchestra of 'Atonement' and another mini-concert by Angelo Badalamenti who performed some really iconic pieces from 'Blue Velvet' to 'Twin Peaks' to 'The City of Lost Children'. Afterwards I had the chance of speaking to Badalamenti, Dario Marianelli and Clint Mansell, who were all cool guys in their own respect. Of course I had to ask Mansell If he was going to score Aronofsky’s Robocop, which he responded with ‘most likely’.
All in all, three great days for a geek in Europe!!!
If you use this, call me....
Zilkovich
Thanks, man. If Clint Mansell does end up scoring Aronofsky's ROBOCOP, I hope he'll pay some kind of tribute to the late (and still underappreciated) Basil Poledouris.
