Review 2: The Prestige

The Prestige (2006)

Director: Christopher Nolan

Cast:

Hugh Jackman - Robert Angier

Christian Bale - Alfred Borden

Michael Caine - Cutter

Piper Perabo - Julia McCullough

Rebecca Hall - Sarah Borden

Scarlett Johansson - Olivia Wenscombe

Synopsis: 

 The Prestige is a 2006 British-American mystery thriller film written, directed and co-produced by Christopher Nolan, with a screenplay adapted from Christopher Priest's 1995 novel of the same name. The story follows Robert Angier and Alfred Borden, rival stage magicians in London at the end of the 19th century. Obsessed with creating the best stage illusion, they engage in competitive one-upmanship with tragic results.

Review:

The Prestige is a film that from the first minute gives the viewer an opportunity to plunge into the world of magic tricks, secrets, rivalry and intrigue. It needs to say that prestige is the final part of the trick, when the viewer realizes that he had been deceived, but may not realize how the magician did it.

The film takes us to London at end of the nineteenth century, when the illusionist tricks had been one of the main amusements for people. And Alfred Borden and Robert Endzheyr were one of them. They started to work together under the instruction of Cutter, were friends, but the world was a far more dangerous, and their friendship grew into a rivalry and rivalry turned into hostility. During the whole film we watch to what their rivalry led and who survived at last. 

I can't but mention about the cast. It was really tremendeous and impressive. Throughout the film you can't understand to whom of the main characters you sympathize more. Watching the film, we can see how they are trying to ruin each other's lives, but they just want to prove that one is better than another. Having lost the wife, Jackman's hero no longer feels love and regret, he was obsessed with fame, with a desire to be the best magician. Alfred (Bale) was closer to me, but in some moment I couldn't understand his changeable mood: one day he tends his wife every need, and on the other - he was with his assistant (Johansson), but brilliant ending sheds light on secrets. Of course, nice and old magician by Michael Caine, who has been on the side of Robert (Jackman) for a long time, but after a while, he realizes that Robert is obsessed with fame and already had forgotten about any worths.

I was really impressed by this film not only because of the great play of the actors but also because this film makes us to think over our actions. They say: 'Score twice before you cut once'. So sometimes, may be, even better to give up once, even if you have a great goal. Obviously, this film leaves much room for meditation.

Rendering 8: Theatre

The article 'Richard Griffiths obituary' was published on the website of the newspaper 'The Guardian' on March 29, 2013. It is written by Michael Billington.

The aim of the article is to say goodbye to the outstanding British actor, Richard Griffiths. He has died aged 65 from complications following heart surgery. Richard Griffiths was the kind of actor whom everyone remembers with affection, whether as the flawed but inspirational Hector in Alan Bennett's The History Boys (first staged in 2004, then filmed in 2006) or as the eccentrically gay Uncle Monty in Bruce Robinson's Withnail and I (1987).

The author reports that although Richrd is best-known for his thriving career in film and television, he learned his craft in theatre. Michael Billington tells that he first became aware of Mr.Griffiths in the late 1970s when he rose steadily through the ranks of the Royal Shakespeare Company. Michael was especially struck by his ability to speak verse with mellifluous clarity.

The author gives a brief biography of this actor.  He was born in Thornaby-on-Tees in the North Riding of Yorkshire. His childhood was not easy, since both his steelworker father, Thomas, and his mother, Jane, were deaf and, at an early age, he had to learn sign language to communicate with them. He left his Catholic school at 15 and found consolation in the theatre: first by taking drama classes at Stockton and Billingham Technical College and then by becoming a student at Manchester Polytechnic's drama school. And since than his career became to develop. A succession of noted film roles, in Chariots of Fire (1981), Gandhi (1982), Britannia Hospital (1982), A Private Function (1984) and Greystoke (1984), led to his unforgettable appearance in Withnail and I.

Further Michael Billington reports that film and TV work continued to flood in, he didn't forget about the theatre work. His performance as Hector in The History Boys (2004) at the National confirmed his star status. Griffiths won Olivier and Tony awards, in London and New York, for his compassionate study of this natural outsider. After that Richard Griffiths played in other performances. 

Summing it it up, the author writes that Richard Griffiths was not an actor who will be remembered for his indignation. What we shall all recall, with pleasure, is his silvery voice, his genial presence and his priceless ability to empathise with characters who exist somewhere on the margins of conventional society.

I was really impressed by this article. As I know this actor only by his role as Uncle Vernon in 'Harry Potter'. He was really good at that role. And having read this article, I like him more. It's a pity that such good guys die so early. Rest in peace, Mr.Griffiths.

Rendering 7: Theatre

The article  'Theatre trips for parents should be child's play' was published on the website of  the newspaper 'The Guardian' on March 21, 2013. It was written by Lyn Gardener.

The author of the article rises the problem of how people with children could visit theatre not leaving their offsprings. Here the answer: to take children with them. And at one of such perfomances  Lyn Gardener had a chance to be present at Camden People's theatre in central London on a Thursday morning.

Lyn tells that such shows are for parents who would like to see it, but who would need a babysitter if they came out in the evening. Instead, they can pitch upcome at mid-morning with their babies, safe in the knowledge that everyone else in the theatre will have a baby with them too, and that performers and other audience members are not going to look askance if their child is vocal, needs a feed or wants a nap. It's really a good idea especially for theatregoers with children who is busy at night and couldn't leave them with baby-sitters.

Nevertheless, the author warns that although it's a good idea, there can appear some problems. As it's already happening widely in the cinema, but it couldn't work out with live performance.

Further Lyn Gardener reports how such idea come to the mind of  Mugridge. She is a theatre maker of Camden People's theatre. Visiting the Globe, where another member of the audience complained that she had brought her baby, she noticed that neither ushers, nor actors was against the baby in the audience. The Globe one of the few theatres that has always been child-friendly.

The author notes that why an unhappy baby might be as off-putting to other theatregoers as a mobile-phone user, but a happy baby or child is quite another proposition. If a child is fond of theatre and and behaves well  why can't he visit it?

Concluding, the author tells that even in Greece and Italy babies, children and teenagers make up part of the audience. That's why she's sure that Mugridge's initiative is a step in the right direction. So do I. I fully agree with the author. Nowadays it's really important to children and teenagers to be enlightened in such way. As most of them don't read, don't watch films or programmes which can help them in studies, they just become degraded by playing in the computer games, watching foolish films and surfing in the Internet.

Pleasure Reading: Part 1 ('Great Expectations' by Ch. Dickens)

Philip Pirrip was an orphan, who lived with his elder sister's family. Mrs. Joe Gargery was not really glad to bring up her brother, that's why she always reminded him of how thankful he should be for living in that family. Even all their friends and relatives told him so, except Mr. Joe Gargery. He supported the boy. Joe was the only friend to Pip.

Once Pirrip went to the cemetry to visit his parents' grave. There he met a runaway convict, who threatened and made the boy steal some food from the house. The other day, the soldiers came to Mr. Joe for help, he was a blacksmith. They asked him to repair a pair of handcuffs, as they chased the runaway convict. When Joe finished his work, the soldiers allowed him and Pip to come with them. Finally, the convict was caught. As it turned out, it was exactly that person whom Pip met at the cemetry. But both of them pretended they hed never met.

Sometime later, Pip was sent to one rich old woman to entertain her. She was a very strange woman living with a niece Estella. She always sat in the dark room that's why she was very pale. The boy was to visit Miss Havisham once a week.

As Pip liked Estella, he decided to go to school in order Estella noticed him. Once on his way from school, the boy came to a public-house to bring Joe home. Joe introduced him a stranger, in whom Pirrip recognized that runaway convict. Before leaving the public house, that man gave Pip a shilling.

Rendering 6: Theatre

The article 'She's playing a chimp who's playing a man' was published on the website of 'The NewYork Times' on March 28, 2013. It is written by Alexis Soloski.

The aim of the article is to acquaint the reader with an actress Kathryn Hunter, who has quite a strange role in a new play. The play is Colin Teevan’s adaptation of the Franz Kafka story “A Report to an Academy,” where Ms. Hunter stars as Red Peter, a West African chimp who is enslaved by sailors and adapts the speech and mannerisms of his captors to survive. He then becomes a sensation on the music hall stage.

The author gives a brief biography of this actress. She was born in New York City to Greek immigrant parents but grew up in England. After studying drama and French at Bristol University, she then trained at the celebrated Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.

Further Alexis Soloski reports that Red Peter is not the most exotic role Ms. Hunter, but the most difficult. The reader gets to know that Kathryn has played commedia dell’arte fools, Richard III and a Japanese businessman, King Lear and an autistic 11-year-old in Lee Hall’s “Spoonface Steinberg”. In a production of “The Winter’s Tale” by Complicité, she starred not only as Paulina, but also as the old shepherd and the doomed youth Mamilius. But the hardest part she ever took on was the sex- and age-appropriate Cleopatra in “Antony and Cleopatra”, which Ms. Hunter, who is barely 5 feet and very slight, played in 2010.

As for the new play, the authors tell the reader that Ms. Hunter studied chimpanzee skeletal structure, watched videos of chimps at play and visited several zoos in order to get the feel of Red Peter. Another challenge was not just to play a chimpanzee, but to play a chimp pretending to be a man.

The article ends with quotation describing the actress: “Kathryn is simply one of the best actors in the world.” And of course, I can't but fully agree with it. As Kathryn Hunter has played so many unique characters and has transformed into a boy, an old man, Cleopatra and even a chimp. It's fantastic! I think this woman is really talanted, because not every actor or actress is able to transform into an opposite sex or even into an animal. I wish I Could watch one of the plays starring with her.

Rendering 5: Theatre

The article 'Feel the fear: Joe Wright's theatre debut' was published on the website of 'The Telegraph' on February 14, 2013. It is written by Sheryl Garratt.

The aim of the article is to acquaint the reader with Joe Wright not as a successful film-director but as a director in the theatre. He was going to direct a play 'Trelawny of the Wells' written by Arthur Wing Pinero. The article gives the reader a chance to get to know the reason of such decision.

Sheryl Garratt tells about Wright's carrer as a film-director. The author enumerates his well-know works such as 'Pride & Prejudice', 'Atonement' and 'Anna Karenina'. In all these films Keira Knightley has a starring role.

Further Garratt repotes about Wright's private live. As it turns out, he was born to direct. His parents founded the puppet theatre in Islington, north London. Joe with his sister helped them by building puppets ans sets. Also Mr. Wright tells how he met his wife and shares his feelings as a father. He remembers his own relationship with his father.

'Despite Wright's success, he still has a nagging feeling that he will get caught out' repotes Sheryl Garratt. So to prove his genius, Joe Wright decided to enter the world of theatre. Further the author anumerates his new projects.

The article ends with Wright's words: 'It’s important to keep the fear. Fear does get me up most mornings. It’s a great motivator.' He's frightened of what his doing, of his new projects in theatre. But it only makes him to move forward not to give up.

As the author didn't express his own opinion towards Wright's work, it gives me a chance to share with my own ideas. Fortunately, I saw some his films and I liked them. He's really talanted in directing films. So I'm sure, while he's exploring the world of stage and plays, he will find himself there and will be a successful director. I wish I could watch one his plays.

Rendering 4: Painting

The article 'Becoming Picasso: Paris 1901, Courtauld Gallery ' was published on the website of 'The Telegraph' on February 19, 2013. It is written by Alastair Sooke.

The aim of the article is to give some description of the exhibition of Picasso's paintings in Courtaild Gallery, London. The author described the exhibition in details so that it's easy to imagine yourself visiting this gallery.

As the exhibition is told about early years of Picasso's art work, so Alastair Sooke tells about his pieces of art in the chronological order. The painting is a strange and unusual self-portrait in obscure tints. The author writes that Picasso's technique was very fresh, that's why he was 'a fireball of inspiration'.

Mr. Sooke repotes about the paintings which Picasso made in France with the help of Vollard. At first, his pieces of art were still with the seedy, nocturnal demi-monde, but then under the influence of French Can Can and French atmosphere he created charismatic 'Portrait of Bibi-la-Purée'.

 Further the author describes the paintings of Picasso's so-called Blue Period. It includes such paintings as 'The Blue Room (The Tub)', 'Absinthe Drinker', 'Child with a Dove' and others. 'The Blue Room' presents a naked woman bathing in a bedroom. Her head is slumped, as though her neck is broken.Such describtions evokes melancholy.

Summing it up, the author convinces the reader that this exhibition is to be visited, because here theere is a unique collection of exciting works of art borrowed from important institutions around the world.

I was really impressed by this article, as the description of paintings were so vivd and interesting, that's why I immediately googled them. Though I didn't like all of them, it was still really useful to acquant with Picasso. He really 'illuminated the 20th century like a comet'.

Individual Reading: Part 6

Mr. Strickland married Tahitian girl Ata, and they moved to uninhabited part of island. Ata gave birth to a boy. They lived in piece until Strickland got leprosy. Being sick he painted his masterpiece on the walls of his hut, but in his dying will Charles asked Ata to burn the house down after his death. That's why the painting of his life had never been shown to audience.

Having left Tahiti for England, the narrotar came home. He decided to meet with Mrs. Strickland and told about the last years of her husband's life.

Individual Reading: Part 5

The narrator met Mr. Strickland in Paris for the last time. There had come many years when he again heard about Charles Strickland. But he had already died and his paintings were very famous. The narration contiued in Tahiti. The author met people who told him their recollections of Mr. Strickland. He found out that having left Paris Strickland went to Marseilles, and he lived from hand to mouth. There Capt. Nichols  acquainted with Charles. It was he who told the narrator that part of Strickland's life.

Only some time later, having found a job on a ship, Charles sailed in Tahiti. He stayed at the hotel of Tiare. He liked that place very much and painted as much as he could, forgeting to make his own living.

Film Review 1: Frida

Frida (2002)

Director: Julie Taymor

Cast:  

Salma Hayek -  Frida Kahlo

Alfred Molina  - Diego Rivera

Geoffrey Rush - Leon Trotsky

Ashley Judd  - Tina Modotti

Antonio Banderas - David Alfaro Siqueiros

 

Synopsis:

Salma Hayek ages some 30 years onscreen as she charts Frida Kahlo's life from feisty schoolgirl to Diego Rivera protégée to world-renowned artist in her own right. Frida details Kahlo's affluent upbringing in Mexico City, and her nurturing relationship with her traditional mother and philosophical father. Having already suffered the crippling effects of polio, Kahlo sustains further injuries when a city bus accident nearly ends her life. But in her bed-ridden state, the young artist produces dozens upon dozens of pieces; when she recovers, she presents them to the legendary -- and legendarily temperamental -- Rivera, who takes her under his wing as an artist, a political revolutionary, and, inevitably, a lover. But their relationship is fraught with trouble, as the philandering Rivera traverses the globe painting murals, and Kahlo languishes in obscurity, longing to make her mark on her own.

 

Review:

Frida Kahlo was a young woman, who suffered from excruciating back pain after the accident but courageously endured it. Having found joy in painting, Frida decided to become an artist, so that she went to Diego Rivera, her future husband, for some pieces of advice. Soon they got married. Their married life was fully of complications and scandals, nevertheless Rivera stayed with Frida to the rest to her life.

I was pleasantly surprised by the actors' performance. I could never imagine that Salma Hayek is really good at dramas and such complicated characters. She is really talanted. Also it was nice to recognize actors from others films, which I liked, for example, Geoffrey Rush from King's Speech, Antonio Banderas The Mask of Zorro. All of them made this film so vivid and truthful.

Frida really impressed me, not because of some eccentric scenes, but because of the woman's struggle to life, her willpower and her talant. And of course, the fact, that Frida Kahlo is a real person, couldn't leave anybody indifferent. After watching this film, I googled about Frida at once. I was really amazed that the film script was written exactly on her biography.

 

Rendering 3: Painting

The article 'Civil War images' was published on the website of 'Richmond Times-Dispatch' on March 3, 2013. It was written by Philip Kennicott.

The aim of the article is to give the reader some information about the Civil War in USA. Mr. Kennicott writes about the paintings which helps to imagine the days of that war.

The author reports about the Civil War exhibition, which take place in Washington museum. But the most peculiar thing is that in these paintings war isn't in the foreground. And instead of warlike things such as  cannons and guns, there appears landscapes and portraits of people taking part in war.

To prove his statement, Philip Kennicott describes Winslow Homer's paintings, as he depicts not only the action of war, but also its preparation. Also this exhibition includes paintings of Sanford Robinson Gifford and Martin Johnson Heade. Their works reflect the state of potents of war by painting ugly landscapes, such as dead trees, low grey clouds, and the view of boats on a placid bay. And the author draws our attention to that artists invented a special language for describing the war.

Kennicott points out that this exhibition gives a detailed view of the Civil War. Though there are only 75 paintings and, they don't cover all themes, nevertheless these pictures gives us a full information of how the war inited people to struggle against their enemies.

In conclusion, the author adds that although these pictures can be seemed boring and uninteresting without great battles, but they remind us of the bad and the ugly from that war. War is not an entertainment.

I fully agree with the author. Such kind of paintings helps us not to forget why war is awful. And I'm sure, while people keep it in mind our society is safe.

Individual Reading: Part 4

On the other day, Stroeve left the narrator and they didn't meet for a long time. But after the narrator played chess with Mr. Strickland, Dirk Stroeve came to him with questions of what had happened during the game.

Soon the narrator got to know about an awful quarrel between Blanch Stroeve and Strickland. After that Charles went away and Blanch poisoned herself. She was sent  to the hospital. Blanch as getting worse and worse. Stroeve came there every day, however she never wanted to see him. A short time later she died.

Dirk Stroeve didn't know what to do, he hardly believed in what had happened. Dirk decided to come to the appartment whereBlanch and Strickland lived last months. He found there a portrait of his wife and visited Mr. Strickland to return it. Charles gave back this picture to Stroeve. 

The other days Dirk left France for his motherland to start a new life.