hello.. (and Roeg films S/D)

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I've lurked here (well, and at the ilm board) long enough...May as well come out and start posting some.

So, a little background info. I'm 19 and currently a 2nd year student in North Carolina's university system (UNC-Chapel Hill). My pseudonym, of course, is for the great Robert Blake, if only for his appearance as the mystery man in "Lost Highway." Also, because he had that white parrot follow him around in that old tv show, Baretta.

I've only had a serious interest in film and cinema for the past year or so. Even then, it's "casual," since I only watch other people's films.

Anyway, for my first topic, I'm proposing a Roeg S/D. I rented "Performance" and "Walkabout" the other day; will watch them within the next couple of days. Just wanted to see how others felt about him.

Also, has anyone seen "The Saddest Music in the World"? If so, what'd you think of it?

― michael j aull (robert blake), Monday, 15 November 2004 07:48 (twenty-one years ago)

Blech.

Oh well, I thought my login name would show up on the post (which, was robert blake). However, I'm an idiot and don't know basic posting skills here. Still, it doesn't matter that much; just disregard that part about him.

― michael j aull (robert blake), Monday, 15 November 2004 07:59 (twenty-one years ago)

"Performance" is the only Roeg film that I've seen, and I thought it was excellent. It took the 60's psychedelic film to a higher intellectual and philosophical plateau instead of the shallow, cliched "all form no substance" genre that it's known as.

Theodore should be able to add quite a bit more about this film; I know he's a big fan.

― jay blanchard (jay blanchard), Monday, 15 November 2004 14:03 (twenty-one years ago)

"Performance" has dated well, but I can't call it a masterpiece since I can't understand half the bloody dialogue! I like Walkabout and Don't Look Now better, and Theresa Russell's perf in "Bad Timing: A Sensual Obsession" is JAW-DROPPING. (liked Man Who Fell to Earth fine, but it's been years)

"The Saddest Music in the World" is Maddin's best feature (tho I missed Archangel). It's the first time his antiquarian thing has fully worked, aside from that brilliant 6-minute short The Heart of the World. I saw it twice and plan to buy the disc. You'll hum "The Song Is You" for days...

― Dr Morbius (Dr Morbius), Tuesday, 16 November 2004 16:40 (twenty-one years ago)

I watched "Performance" yesterday, and I have to agree with you about the dialogue. I couldn't understand Pallenberg at all and Fox's dialogue was hard to get. Had to rewind the tape frequently. Overall, it was a good watch. The bit about Chas's identity crisis was interesting, and it's always great to see Mick Jagger doing some bizarre musical numbers. The dazzling colors/imagery and the crazy shroom scene were great, too.

Can't wait to see that Maddin film. Guess I'll go watch "Walkabout" here shortly..

― mj (robert blake), Tuesday, 16 November 2004 20:06 (twenty-one years ago)

I've never read if Roeg/Cammell were inspired by the identity merger theme of Bergman's "Persona," which I prefer even if it doesn't have "Memo From Turner."

― Dr Morbius (Dr Morbius), Tuesday, 16 November 2004 21:46 (twenty-one years ago)

There were moments inspired by "Persona," no doubt. I said it was "interesting" merely because it wasn't that convincing to me. There was a shot of Turner/Chas's face merging that was a clear link to "Persona." But, it really didn't fit in. One minute, you had Turner saying GET THE HELL OUT..then, all of a sudden, he's seeing commonalities and then the face merger happens.

Although, when Pherber was using mirrors to reflect her body onto Chas's, that was actually pretty intriguing. It's easy to appreciate "Performance" on a superficial level, but Cammell had some things to say under all of that drug haze, which goes back to jay's earlier point.

― mj (robert blake), Tuesday, 16 November 2004 23:23 (twenty-one years ago)

come anticipate "the saddest music in world" with me!

I need to see it again. I saw that recent autobiographical hockey film of his (the name escapes me) and I liked that as well. But "Heart Of The World" is utterly brilliant. I'd like to see his older work.

― Casuistry (Chris P), Wednesday, 17 November 2004 03:15 (twenty-one years ago)

I agree both that Performance is excellent and that it was really tough understanding a lot of the dialogue.

On the S/D question:
Another Roeg film well worth checking out is Eureka, which stars Gene Hackman as a man who finds gold in the Arctic and finds out that, basically, money doesn't buy happiness, I suppose. It's a pretty epic and absorbing tale, told relatively straightforwardly, for Roeg.

Track 29, on the other hand, I found extremely difficult to follow. Not so much the story as what the point of the whole thing was. And the script is by Dennis Potter ... actually, that makes me think I should try watching it again, 15 years after my first viewing....

― Dr Benway (dr benway), Wednesday, 17 November 2004 10:56 (twenty-one years ago)

seven months pass...

did i dream up a Roeg box? I could have sworn I'd heard about it on ILX somewhere, possibly from Amateurist?

― gygax! (gygax!), Tuesday, 12 July 2005 21:12 (twenty years ago)

i hope? the man who fell to earth and bad timing, abt which i had no idea, out for criterion this fall at least

― 007 (thoia), Tuesday, 12 July 2005 23:22 (twenty years ago)

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