movie de la soireée: Todd Haynes' contemporary tribute to the 1950s melodramas (especially the work of Douglas Sirk), Far From Heaven {official site}. A great movie elevated by strong performances, especially from the talented Ms Julianne Moore. This postmodern homage is a dream for hardcore film geeks {I have to confess I lean to this side of the fence, thanks to a fulfilling exposure to Sirk movies via a film class I sat in on} and regular moviegoers. The only interesting event at Tara (one of two art house theatres in Atlanta) was the long long line of people (mostly the elderly) for a showing of About Schmidt, the new Jack Nicholson film that has Evil Jack going through a post-retirement crisis. Since this is a film set in the 1950s but made in 2002, we are treated visually to more contemporary frames while the plot adheres the conventions of that time, both in what must and may not be said or referred to directly. The best 'blast from the present' comes when Frank (Quaid) explodes at his wife Cathy (Moore) at the medical centre using the f-word. It's satisfying both for its shock value ("you couldn't say that in the 50s") as well as for not letting us forget our present, 2002. Go watch it. It's probably your only chance to catch some gorgeous Technicolor on the big screen.
burning question: was it just me or did Bernstein's theme quote the Adagio from Joaquín Rodrigo's Concierto de Aranjuez?
related : {salon}
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