The Romantic Gesture

November 19th-December 19th 2011 is Rom-Com Season at Kid In The Front Row.

Once upon a time a king gave a feast

and there were all the most beautiful

princesses of the realm. Basta, one

of the guards, saw the king's

daughter: she was the loveliest of

all! And he immediately fell in love

with her. But what could a poor

soldier do compared with a king's

daughter?!...One day he managed

to meet her and told her he couldn't

live without her. The princess was so

struck by the depth of his feeling

that she said to the soldier 'If you

will wait a hundred days and a

hundred nights beneath my balcony,

then in the end I'll be yours.'

Christ, the soldier ran off there and

waited! One day, two days,

ten, twenty... every night she looked

out of her window, but he never

budged. Come rain, wind, snow, never

budged! The birds shat on him and the

bees ate him alive! After ninety

nights he was gaunt and pale and

tears streamed from his eyes but he

couldn't hold them back. He didn't

even have the strength to sleep any

more. The princess kept watch... and

on the ninety-ninth night, the

soldier got up, picked up his chair

and left!

This is the stuff that wrecks us, as human beings. We watch movies and we buy into the romance. Imagine what would happen if you waited outside a woman's house for a hundred days? Jeez, I get to her house ten minutes early and she'll read into it as me being 'too keen.'

Movies are insane. 

We're all romantic, all of us. And we all want the big loves and gestures. It's just that we don't want them in real life, we just want them in the movies.

At some point, we buy into the nonsense. We act on it. The big gesture. It doesn't work! Some people say it does work, but then two years later they're staring at their lawyers, waiting for the divorce to be finalized. 

So we play the game. The game of disinterest. The game of mild romance. We're a generation of mildly romantic people. We'll buy someone a pencil, as a gesture, and then immediately snap it in half just in case they think we're being 'too romantic'. 

Your instinct is to give someone the world. You remember that feeling? You were seventeen and you gave someone a present that meant the world. They took the present but they let you go. 

But we need it. We crave it. That's what makes the movies so enticing. 'Cinema Paradiso' is my favorite movie. I buy into the romance. But in the real world, you don't get an Ennio Morricone score and you don't get the girl chasing after you; you just get a text saying "Why the fuck did you stand under my balcony for a hundred days you freak!?"

WHAT ARE WE MEANT TO DO? How real are movies? How romantic is life? How real is real life? How romantic were people BEFORE movies? What are the boundaries? The cinema has forever fucked up everyone's chances of ever being happy. 

My new theory: Anyone who is TRULY happy in a relationship doesn't love movies. And anyone who truly loves movies is alone, miserable, and about to watch a DVD. So for all of us who are alone and miserable, at least we are here together. And that, after all, is what love and togetherness are all about. Actually, that's too romantic, don't read into it! Don't stop reading my blog! It's not meaningful at all! I didn't mean to over-romanticize, I'm sorry! 

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Giuseppe Tornatore And Ennio Morricone - One Of The Best Collaborations In Film.

I saw 'La sconosciuta' (The Other Woman) for the first time today. It's written and directed by Giuseppe Tornatore and the music is composed by Ennio Morricone. Their previous collaborations, which include 'Cinema Paradiso', 'Malena' and 'The Star Maker' are amongst my favorite films (in fact, Cinema Paradiso is my favorite film). I don't think there is any better Director/Composer pairing than these two. Their styles compliment each others perfectly; and elevate good work to truly great.

Here is the final scene from 'The Other Woman' which I've just uploaded. I could give some back story; but it's nice as it is; the look on the character's faces and the music tell their own story. It's a subtle, simple scene - I love the music -- it's a great way to end the film.


For those of you in London, Ennio Morricone will be performing at the Royal Albert Hall on Saturday April the 10th. At 81 years old, it's hard to say how many more opportunities we'll get to see this master at work. I hope I see you there.. tickets can be bought here.

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My Perfect Movie.

Who would make, and star, in your perfect movie? You can use anyone dead or alive, but you can only use someone once. So, for example, you can't have a 'writer/director.' Post your choices on your blog, and email me the link:

The selection that excites me the most; will win 'Shawshank Redemption' on DVD. Here's the details of my film.

Written By

Billy Wilder
The perfect writer. The mix of comedy and drama; done in a way only Billy Wilder can. He's returning in 2010 to pen the screenplay. It's a mix between the humor of 'Some Like It Hot,' the snappy dialogue of 'Double Indemnity' - with the genius of 'The Apartment.'

Directed By

Cameron Crowe

There are not many people who could direct a Wilder script, apart from the man himself -- but one man who probably could; is Cameron Crowe. Knowing Crowe's love for Wilder, and the fact they spent many of Billy's final years together-- leaves me confident that Crowe could do it (I realize I brought Billy back to life to write the screenplay, and am now talking as if he's dead again-- just go with me..).

Crowe has the magic directorial touch; someone who can tell a story as well as anyone; but he excels in doing what I love to see the most; finding the heart and soul in material and making it something everyone can relate too.

Director Of Photography

Carlo Di Palma
I'm calling Carlo out of retirement, and death; to shoot the film. His work with Woody Allen, carrying on where Gordon Willis left off is cinematographical perfection. Whether it's the steady, fluid master shots of 'Hannah And Her Sisters' or the crazy, schizophrenic style of 'Husbands & Wives' or 'Manhattan Murder Mystery' - I'm completely confident that Di Palma is the man for the job.

Composer
Ennio Morricone
Ennio is the perfect composer. 'Cinema Paradiso' and 'Malena' are two of my favorite films. I give Morricone as much credit as Giuseppe Tornatore (who is on standby to Direct this picture if Crowe pulls out.) Today, I watched 'The Untouchables' - a very good film; but again-- made all the more wonderful by Morricone's masterful, heartfelt score. He's the man, he's got the job -- and he can do it his way; whatever he wants. He is the master.

Editor

Joel Cox

Joel Cox edits Clint Eastwood's films. I'm always amazed by how concise and meticulous the films are. Of course, that's mainly down to Clint Eastwood's directing; but the editing is always perfect -- that's down to Joel Cox.

MAIN CAST

Jack Lemmon
Being a Billy Wilder screenplay; it was inevitable that I'd go to Jack Lemmon. And of course, when making any film, Lemmon would be my choice. Next to Tom Hanks and Jimmy Stewart; I don't think there's anyone more watchable.

Paulette Goddard
Paulette Goddard, on screen, is magic. Her face makes life better.

Jimmy Stewart
Wow-- the idea of casting Jimmy Stewart in a NEW movie is literally the most exciting thought I have had in years. Jimmy and Jack Lemmon on screen together is really going to be something.

Cybill Shepherd
I really liked her in 'Taxi Driver' and 'The Last Picture Show.' I think she'd be good with Jack Lemmon. I'm casting Cybill Shepherd. A young Cybill Shepherd.

SUPPORTING ACTORS
Charles Chaplin - A.K.A. The Tramp.
What could be better than a supporting character, a lonely fellow, A Tramp - who comes along to steal every scene; but not in a bad way; he just brings romance, sorrow, and AMAZING LAUGHS to the film. Also, he'd share a few scenes again with Paulette Goddard.

Julia Roberts
Julia is in the film to bring a bit of energy and sexiness to it. She'll play the modern woman who completely confuses Jack and Jimmy -- which will definitely provide some comedic moments; especially considering the wonderful material Billy has written for them.

Peter MacNicol

Peter MacNicol created the greatest TV character of all time. Yes, I'm talking about Ally Mcbeal's John Cage. It's time to get that character on the big screen.

Patricia Clarkson
Patricia Clarkson is a class act. She adds a seriousness and an elegance to the film that helps balance all the comedic genius involved; and she does it with the same grace and beauty as she always does.

Production starts next month...

Tell me about your perfect movie.

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Malèna

"I pedaled as fast as I could, as if I were escaping,
From longing, from innocence, from her.
Time has passed, and I have loved many women.
And as they've held me close,

and asked me if I'll remember them,
I've said, "Yes, I'll remember you."
But the only one I've never forgotten,
is the one who never asked:

Malena."

There was a moment, at around 11pm, when I considered going to bed. That plan was soon laid to rest when a voice inside my head said "watch a film, watch Malèna." My film viewing decisions aren't always made by this particular voice, but when they are - it's like magic; I find myself watching films that I need to watch. Exactly why I need to watch them is often difficult to explain - it's like that magic moment you get sometimes on a random Thursday when you're in your car and just as you're about to flick over to another radio station a song comes on that you haven't heard since 1997 - and you realize, at that very moment, that the song is exactly what's been missing in your life. And what I needed, tonight, was 'Malèna.'

The film is about first love. Unrequited love. It's about a young boy called Renato (Giuseppe Sulfaro), who, like every man in his town, falls in love with the beautiful Malena (Monica Bellucci). What we soon realize is that the other men don't love her, they just want her. The men of the town want to have sex with her, and the women of the town spread vicious rumors about her. The only person who takes the time to get to know her and believe in her is Renato.

Renato and Malèna don't say a word to each other in the entire film - and that's what's so beautiful about it. It masterfully shows what it is to be a 14 year old who doesn't exist to the opposite sex - it shows the pain, the longing, the hope and the sad beauty of it. At the same time; there are far deeper and more painful things going on with Malena - whose husband died at war, whose Father disowned her and whose town was against her and eventually forced her out. I haven't followed much of Monica Bellucci's film work since; I find her Italian films hard to track down and her Hollywood efforts aren't the type of films I actively seek to watch -- but in this film, she is incredible. Sure, she's stunning to look at, but far and beyond that - she spends most of the film in silence, and her grace, elegance, heartbreak and sorrow are handled with subtlety and beauty in a way rarely seen since the silent era. Monica Bellucci, based on this performance, is extremely talented.

'Malèna' is written & directed by Giuseppe Tornatore who, along with Wilder, Chaplin and Woody Allen-- is amongst my favorite writer/directors. His work always speaks to me in a way that no other director really can. His films speak to my heart, to my hopes, to my dreams, to my ideals. I felt the inner-editor in me cringe as I wrote 'speaks to my heart' but then, if I can't speak about what speaks to my heart, then really, what's the point in living? A lot of people criticise his work as being too sentimental, too heart-warming. I'm not the type of person who can really take those words as a criticism. It works for me. He dares to have characters that are innocent, that are naive, that do good. There is a magic in 'Malèna' and 'Cinema Paradiso' that I've not found in the works of any other writer/director. Another thing about 'Malèna' is how outstandingly, outrageously, achingly beautiful it looks. Okay, it probably helps that they had Sicily as a location - but Lajos Koltai, the DP, deserves credit for the cinematography - I'd happily watch this film without sound just to take in the visuals.

The attention to detail in Tornatore's films is what really sets his work apart from others. Everything fits together so perfectly. The core of the crew have done a lot of films together; and it shows. The editing is absolutely perfect (Massimo Quaglia cut two of Tornatore's previous films and has continued to be his editor since) - and the film was also scored, as all of the Director's films are, by Ennio Morricone. Morricone's composing is perfect in everything he does, he's one of the all time greats - but to me, he feels most at home when working with Tornatore. The music in 'Malèna' is possibly my favorite film score -- and even tonight, when deciding to stay up and watch the film, part of the reason was that I really wanted to hear the music.

'Malèna' is about as wonderful as cinema can be. If you've ever found your filmic sensibilities to be similar to mine - then please consider my recommendation. That being: buy this film.

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