For all the glory reaped on Hollywood, both by rosy-eyed moviegoers and Hollywood habitues themselves, American movie makers can learn a lot from their European counterparts on how to narrow the gap between commercial filmmaking and art. I saw The Legend of 1900 (Giuseppe Tornatore, director) and Perfume: The Story of a Murderer (Tom Tykwer, director) recently. To say that I was awed would be an understatement and I felt that the cliché that “you don’t have to shout to be noticed” has never been more apt.
Giuseppe Tornatore is an Italian director probably best known outside Europe for his 1989 film Nuovo Cinema Paradiso which won Hollywood’s Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in the same year. The Legend of 1900, based on the theater monologue by Alessandro Baricco, was released in 1998. It tells the story of a baby abandoned on the SS Virginian who was adopted and raised by one of the ship’s coal men. The child, named Danny Boodman T. D. Lemon 1900 and nicknamed 1900 (played by English actor Tim Roth), showed an extraordinary gift for music and eventually joined the ship’s orchestra. From birth until his presumed death, 1900 never left the ship. He almost did once, went as far as halfway through the gangplank, but turned back. He learned languages and music trends from talking with passengers.
The dreamy mood of the film was highlighted by the original score by Ennio Morricone who had also collaborated with Tornatore in Cinema Paradiso. The music was memorable, haunting at times, the cinematography was never glaring and the set design was wonderfully executed, lavish without the excessiveness that marked Titanic. There was no nudity, no sex, not even kissing, no daredevil stunts and no violence either. The run time is 165 minutes, long enough to make most films boring and too tedious to watch, but there was no low point in Tornatore’s film.
One night, while waiting for his employer to finish his business transaction, a young woman passed by and her scent captivated him. He followed her but she was frightened. When she tried to scream, Jean-Baptiste covered her mouth until a couple was out of sight. By then, the young woman had suffocated to death. Jean-Baptiste ripped off her clothes, trying to inhale her scent which was soon gone as her body grew cold.
Frustrated, Jean-Baptiste vowed he would learn how to preserve scent. He attached himself to a perfumer who taught him that every good perfume was made of 12 essences. He also told him the legend of a perfume found in an Egyptian sarcophagus which, when opened hundreds of years later, emitted a scent so wonderfully intoxicating that it affected the whole world. That perfume, said the mentor, contained a 13th essence that no one has identified.
With his mentor’s blessing, Jean-Baptiste walked all the way to Grasse where he learned perfume-making. After several experiments, he finally learned how to preserve the scent of a woman by cutting off her hair, covering her body in animal fat and distilling the fat. Because no woman would willingly submit to the procedure, Jean-Baptiste killed 13 women to make the perfect perfume.
Jean-Baptiste was caught and sentenced but, on the day of his execution, he opened the bottle of his perfect perfume that sent the crowd into an orgy. People had gathered in the town plaza demanding his death when, suddenly, they were declaring his innocence. They took off their clothes, indulged in sex with total abandon, including a priest (Cardinal?) who had come to watch Jean-Baptiste’s execution. Jean-Baptiste walked off and the people regained their wits.
Perfume is a fascinating story about the stench of the human soul and man’s attempt to cover it with false morality, holiness and self-righteousness – all symbolized by the perfect perfume. The film itself is fascinating for many reasons including how the director used nudity without any association with sleaziness and how brutal murder was depicted with minimal gore. It was disturbing, it was unsettling and it made my hackles rise more than once. But it is beautifully executed with the understated acting and the narration that filled the gaps where dimensions of the novel could not be translated into visuals.
The pervasive American culture being what it is, most of us judge movies by Hollywood standards. But, once in a while, you get to see real cinematic gems and you start wondering why you’ve been glorifying Hollywood stuff all these years.
I loved those movies!
Try “Tell No One”, French film dubbed in English. They show it on Star Movies. Love how the story was revealed by going back and forth in time. Wicker Park technique — somewhat.
Saw 1900 a couple years ago in HBO, and i always find myself watching it again when its on. I just saw Perfume a few months back and I’ve recommending it to my friends.
They’ve shown 1900 on HBO? Wow, serves me right for only watching CSI on TV. I wouldn’t have seen “Tell No One” either if Speedy hadn’t recommended it.
My curiosity with “Perfume” really paid off when I grabbed a DVD copy instead of the first Transformers film.
European films are just in a class of their own.
Hehehehe great choice, great choice! Got my copy for P125 at Odyssey but I already knew something about Perfume because I saw this interview of Alan Rickman about the film. Di ko akalain I’d find a copy.
jhay, if you like european films, try movies made by jean pierre jeunet. Ex. Amelie or A very long engagement.
Hollywood promotes glamor and rating which is intended to capture massive audiences to provide the fatcheck. Artistic film is rich in content but lousy in gross margin. Until there is a significant shift in audience preferences by ticket sales, Hollywood will stay on course with current commercial ventures.
The perfume is probably the best attempt to explain a serial murderer. Normal beings like you and I, have no spike in any of our senses nor extraordinarily preoccupied with one than others. The character has primal obsession. Snuffing out the girl’s life is secondary to primal fear and so the killing of 13 girls to serve his intense desire. The creation/release of the perfect perfume is a stretch and so the resulting public orgy as intended denouement to offset any moral intrusions but a true murderer could only hint of intense satisfaction.
“Artistic film is rich in content but lousy in gross margin.”
But, you know, a really talented director working with good material (story, actors, crew) can deal with that issue. The problem, I think, is that most producers start with the presumption that the average moviegoer is dumb and won’t appreciate anything beyond the tried-and-tested formulas. But I think it’s all in the approach. Shakespeare, for instance, becomes commercially viable when translated into a modern setting. I didn’t think “She’s the Man” (Based on Twelfth Night, starring Amanda Bynes) would work but it was hilarious.
The problem is really the audience. If there is tried and tested formulas. The film studios would love to be the first one to have it. But there is none.
Just take the case of the Perfume. It was adapted from the best selling German novel. The formula works in Germany where it grosses $53 million decent enough to cover the $60 million budget. Overall gross is $135 million but the closest to Germany is the distant Spain with $9.9m and Russia’s $9.2m. The movie earned multiple film awards in Germany and Europe. And yet, South Korea is grossing $6.25m compared to combine France, Algeria, Monaco of $6.175m. Just as puzzling, Mexico is making $4.9m compared to UK’s $2.98m and US’ 2.2m.
So there is no consistency by area that a rich content movie can make money. For financiers of movie studios, it is a tremendous risk and can break your bank.
In theatrical plays, the financial risk is absorbed by high ticket prices and annual subscription of patrons. High quality of production is assured and so the price. But movie making is just different animal at bottom prices.
Doesn’t it work the other way around as well? You know, if Hollywood keeps dishing out more dumb films (eg., White Chicks, Dumb and Dumber, Drillbit Taylor) than good ones, there is a dumbing down effect on the audience.
That is true. Just consider this, Dumb and Dumber grossed $247 million on a $17 million budget. That is 15 times over the cost. Hopefully, the audience can realize and stop watching dumb films. Or the studio keep on producing dumb films and keep laughing all the way to the bank.
Sad how people feel they got their money’s worth seeing films like that, eh?
Where is dvd of “The Legend of 1900″ available? I’d love to get a dvd of this, because I love costume movies. “Perfume” is one of my favorite movies.
For old and not-so-popular films, always go through the “sale” racks in Odyssey, Astrovision and Radio City. Sometimes, when they’re not on the racks, they’re in storage — just ask the sales girls.
Oh, and sometimes, they come as part of “sets”.
Great movie reviews, Ms. Connie. I’ve seen both films, and totally agree with your sentiments. You write terribly well.
Thank you. It helped a lot that the two movies inspired me so much.
As a former sailor of the navy, i find it unbelievable that 1900 can still live in a decommissioned ship which have no power, no water, no food and no fresh air. Aside from that, it’s a very good movie. I highly recommend it.
Actually, it was used as a hospital after it stopped being a luxury liner. It was after serving as a hospital that it was decommissioned, as you put it. So, there was only a short time when it was not in use.
Where can I get the DVD copy of Perfume: The Story of a Murderer locally? It was such a nice movie, making us hooked and can’t get over even after a week of accidentally watching it in star movies.
I got my copy from Astrovision.
i’ve seen PERFUME so many times! the movie never gets old.
and here i thought i was weird for liking the movie, because none of my friends were really into it.
I would have to say though that my favorite part was at the end, when he doused himself with the perfume
Haunting, isn’t it? Especially since he knew exactly what was going to happen.
loved 1900. I watched it a couple of years ago upon the recommendation of my ninong. I’m lucky I have a few friends who are into art films and who would periodically recommend good movies to watch. I’m sorry I slept through Perfume, for some reason.
My favorite is still “Like Water for Chocolate,” though. I watched that about 11 times na. Or more. Can’t remember na.
“Amelie” is cute.
One of the best films I have ever watched was a Filipino film , I believe the English translation of the title is ” The Navel of The sea ” . My understanding is that it received awards in Europe .