Saturday, January 17, 2009
I had seen screen shots from this movie months ago and they looked incredible. Based solely on what I saw in these few images, I had a fervent desire to see this film. Time passed and I forgot about it until Leah and I were perusing the wall at Blockbuster and I came across it. I remembered how rad it seemed to be, so we picked it up.
I was blown away. While being only a few credits shy of a second major in film studies, I don't consider myself to be a master in film theory. I don't even consider myself a "movie buff." I won't claim to be learned enough to make educated or valuable observations on the quality of acting (I thought it was phenomenal) or the movie's plot (I loved it). However, with my experience in photography and video, I can say that this is a visual masterpiece.
Tarsem's "The Fall" is a mad folly, an extravagant visual orgy, a free-fall from reality into uncharted realms. Surely it is one of the wildest indulgences a director has ever granted himself. Tarsem, for two decades a leading director of music videos and TV commercials, spent millions of his own money to finance "The Fall," filmed it for four years in 28 countries and has made a movie that you might want to see for no other reason than because it exists. There will never be another like it.
"The Fall" is so audacious that when Variety calls it a "vanity project," you can only admire the man vain enough to make it. It tells a simple story with vast romantic images so stunning I had to check twice, three times, to be sure the film actually claims to have absolutely no computer-generated imagery. None?
These quotes are from Ebert's review of the film, and I'd say they are 100% correct. I highly recommend this movie. Ebert is right. Everyone should see it. If not for the praised acting or the great story, then simply for the incredible shots Tarsem managed. His use of angles, light and composition are a testament to the thought and obvious skill put into every shot.
See this movie.
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