Genres

Visitors Review

marisol 2012-05-23 02:10:52

Polanski the inventor of the "kamerasutra"?

I just checked Polanski bio i noticed that he never won an Oscar for bestdirector?,he was first nominated for "Knife in the water"in1965next was for "Chinatown" and Tess.When i saw "Death and the maiden" ithought this film is one of his best;Ben Kingsley is justbrilliant,he'snot playing"Gandhi" here,just look at his face and eyes when heconfessed,this is one of the greatest performance a ever seem and it wastotally ignored by the oscar!,Kingsley once said that he find moreinteresting as an actor when he has to play the dark side of human naturehe proved in Death and the Maiden his skills in portraying an ambiguous manwith hidden intentions(the revealing is just impressive)and Roman Polanski i can't say enough of this man he maybe invented"theKamasutra of camera positions",just look at the (camera)angles in thisfilm(that give you the feeling of different points of view)I just can't believe that movie data voters only give DATM6/10?I Totally recommend this movie ,rent it! buy it!dont waste you time readingthis. 9/10

2012-05-22 09:35:32

Death & The Maiden

Based on a play (by Ariel Dorfman ) which why most of the action takes place almost completely in the house. Might make some people feel "claustrophobic" (not me) Signourney Weaver plays Paulina a woman who had suffered torture and rape by a doctor, during the revolution, when she worked for an underground newspaper and was "arrested" She refused to tell the name of her leader, the man that is now her husbandThe movie is set in "A country in South America, after the fall of dictatorship" Paulina is seen preparing for the arrival of her husband Gerardo Escobar ( A lawyer & civil right activist), making dinner and listening to the radio. A story on the news concerning a formation of a commitee on human rights violations that'll investigate acts of tortures commited between 1975-1980 comes on, she looks uncomfortable and goes to switch it off, then hears her husband is being considered to chair the commitee (news to her) and rumor has it that he has accepted.The power goes out, and she continues to wait for Gerardo, an unfamiliar car pulls up to the house, she runs around blowing out the candles and grabs a gun. But it's just Gerardo, their car had a flat and he hitched a ride with a doctor (Roberto Miranda) who also has a house nearby.They fight about the comission. Paulina thinks it's whitewash, and 'dignifying a betrayal" "What'll happen to the men they can prove were on the death squads?" she askes "the evidence will be turned over to the courts" says Gerardo, Paulina scoffs "Maybe over the judge who told Maria Bautista, no her husband wasn't tortured, he just ran off with a younger woman." It'll only involve cases that ended in death for the victim, Gerardo says he has get the president to change the rules, but to Gerardo it's a job worth doing.A car again pulls up to the house, and Paulina wakes Gerardo, they hide in the dark looking out the window. Someone knocks on the door, it's the doctor again, Gerardo has forgotten to take his tire, he also wanted to tell Gerardo what an honor it is to meet him. "But do you know to know the truth, the real real truth?" The doctor asks, Paulina is listening from the bedroom and gasps when she hears him, his voice, his laugh (he snorts when he laughs) and 'the real real truth" She finds other things, like his smell, he likes to quote Neitzsche " I think it was Neitzsche..." and he has a tape of Schubert's Death and the maiden in his car. The music which "the doctor" played during the torture and rape.Is he the doctor, or not? Receives great direction from Roman Polanski, great preformances from Sigourney Weaver, Ben Kingsley & Stuart Wilson. A well done mystery that'll leave you guessing till the end. Even with the knowledge of the outcome, it is still a movie I can enjoy watching over and over. :-)

2012-05-13 23:57:54

Death and the Maiden

This review is from: Death and the Maiden (DVD) Along with Gorillas in the Mist, this has to be one of the best movies S. Weaver has ever made. It is one of those Deja Vous movies where you wonder if what happened to her in Argentina could yet happen to you in this country (under the Patriot Act??). Don't blame 'er a bit for being furious.

gcd70 2012-05-13 14:45:24

Jolting film does not delve too deep

Polanski surprises again with this thriller concerning one woman'sattempt to exorcise the demons of her past by brutalising a man sheholds responsible for the torture she endured almost twenty yearsearlier. The screenplay from Rafael Yglesias and Ariel Dorfman (basedupon Dorfman's play) manages to keep us guessing as to each player'snext move, and as to the truth about Roberto (Kingsley).Sigourney Weaver is electric as Paulina, the woman seemingly driven tomadness when confronted with this horrific ghost from her past. Herperformance is at times truly terrifying. Ben Kingsley's turn as thequestionable Roberto leaves no doubt as to his versatile actingtalents, as he portrays with ease probable innocence, possible guiltand desperation all at once. Stuart Wilson is the unfortunate thirdparty, and never has enough to do as the husband caught in the middleof this frightening situation. Editing from Herve de Luze is taught andcinematography from Tonino delli Colli is suitably confined.Polanski effortlessly keeps us on the edge of our seats as he at oncejolts and surprises us throughout his pic. Yet in going for all outentertainment in his beloved Hitchcockian fashion, he has avoided themany contentious issues that this film raises. Gender domination,sexual assault, justice, revenge and even forgiveness are all skimmedover as Polanski charges through the subtleties of the narrative infavour of the thrill. Hey, who's complaining?Monday, June 16, 1997 - Hoyts Croydon

BreanneB 2012-05-12 22:25:02

Very Intense Film!

I just saw this movie a couple weeks ago. I liked it, but I alsothought it was extremely intense. The film is very well made though:acting, costumes, production, photography, directing, plot, script,etc.This dark intense thriller takes off when Paulina Escobar (SigourneyWeaver), and her husband Gerardo (Stuart Wilson), are awakened in themiddle of the night by a knock at the door. It is the man who stoppedto help Gerardo earlier. Him and the man, Dr. Roberto Miranda (BenKingsley), have drinks together.This is when Paulina, starts to get really freaked out because she iscertain this is the doctor who raped 15 years ago. She ties him up likeshe was tied up and demands that he confess. Eventually, he owns up tohis wrong doings and confesses.

2012-05-12 10:27:02

DISAPPOINTING

Given the talent involved, one would presume that this tale of past avenging would be something special. Unfortunately, it is merely a big-name performance of the Ariel Dorfman play upon which it is based. The use of only one setting has much to do with this. So (disappointingly) does the static performances and Polanski's unconfident direction.

2012-05-08 06:04:48

A passed over masterpiece

Without going into obscene detail, I only need to impart the following:One of the best adapted-to-screen plays I have ever seen.Polanski, as usual knows exactly when to execute with style, and when to leave things alone and not let directorial vanity obstruct the flow of storytelling. He balances this to perfection.The acting is of course unbelievable from all three leads.A fantastic story as well as resulting film, and a shame that it somehow went under the radar of the fickle critical community.

2012-05-08 04:19:25

Weaver magic

Sigourney Weaver is one of my favourite actors (same class as Meryl Streep, Catherine Denueve, Elizabeth Taylor) She never dissapoints. She is a versitile actor and one pays attention. This is a highly dramatic film and not intended for sissies. Heavy stuff that keeps you on the tip of your seat all the time. This is real acting. That touch of Roman Polansky is evident which makes this an excellent dramatic film. Not to be missed.

James Culver 2012-05-05 01:22:23

You'll never be able to listen to the title song again without wincing

It's an interesting characteristic of great thrillers like this that thesongs they feature will stick in our minds. Who among us can hear the song"Stuck in the Middle With You" without remembering the Reservoir Dogstorture scene, or who can hear "Singing in the Rain" without recalling AClockwork Orange? Likewise, anyone who sees this tense, supurb thrillerwill not be able to hear Schubert's song of the title without recallingwhathappens to these three characters during the course of the evening duringwhich this film is set. I won't dare reveal the plot, but I will say thatthis is a brilliant, powerful thriller that you will not soon forget.

tsjohn 2012-05-04 14:46:25

a tasty psychological thriller

An incredibly powerful and stylish psychological thriller. Just a treatto see the talents of Polanski, Weaver, Kingsley, and the little knownWilson all on display in this complex and suspenseful story. Great tosee the time and effort taken by Polanski to create such rich characterdevelopment. Can't think of many movies (Sex, Lies and Videotape alsocomes to mind) that takes such a wonderfully unforced and unhurriedpace to bring the characters to life with all their complex layers.The interaction between Weaver and Kingsley is just mesmerizing. Thenagain, would you expect anything less from these two consummate pros?Actually, I've always been a fan of Weaver, but no doubt in my mindthis is her most powerful, but unfortunately most overlookedperformance of her career. One achingly emotional and gripping scene byWeaver of a confessional nature at the crux of this movie goes onunedited seemingly for minutes. It's one of the most moving moments ofmovie making I've ever had the pleasure of witnessing.Kingsley is also at his best here. He's just one of those actors whocould read a phone book and I'd sit and watch! An incredible piece ofacting which asks a great deal of the viewer - to continuously doubtand question his character's TRUE identity - and pull it offbelievably.Well, sorry to be so vague when it comes to plot points, but I wouldn'tdare spoil this fine unknown gem for those willing to take a chance ona movie for the not-so-faint of heart. The themes are extremely adulthere, but for those who appreciate a drama you can sink your teeth intothat isn't afraid of some powerful realism, this is a no-brainer!

evemarie23 2012-05-03 09:23:58

please read

Oh my dear sweet lord. The people who have rated/commented on thisfilm, that have called it boring? Or better yet, have had the densityto remark on the fact that Weaver and hubby had English accents whenthey were suppose to be South American? OK children Listen close. TheWeaver role was a woman whose father only was South Am. Her hubby wasAmerican.......working for the embassy. Was anyone even payingattention? Kingsley part was English, due to the fact that he washiding his past from the law. I'm sorry but duh. Did you peeps evenWATCH this film, or did u just watch the beginning and "get bored"?Please don't be mislead by people who are too shallow to get past their"accent meters". Which, by the way, in this case they are just plainwrong.

brocksilvey 2012-05-03 06:41:29

To Be Endured, Not Enjoyed

"Death and the Maiden" tells a harrowing story, one that's not meant tobe pleasant. But even so, there is a difference between telling anunpleasant story and creating an unpleasant experience, andunfortunately, director Roman Polanski doesn't maintain thatdistinction with this film.He's proved that he knows how in other films, like "Rosemary's Baby"and "Repulsion," neither of which dwell on pleasant themes but both ofwhich are exhilaratingly entertaining. "Death and the Maiden" is anoppressive slog, a film that must be endured rather than enjoyed.Sigourney Weaver and Ben Kingsley give top-notch performances, but thewhole thing is too one note and aggressively depressing to be verygood.Grade: C

erwan_ticheler 2012-05-01 22:22:53

A little bit too much,Polanski can do much better

As I am a fan of Polanski's work I really wanted to see this film.But it wasa little bit of a let down.Despite the acting capabilities of SigourneyWeaver and Ben Kingsley it just doesn't work very well.The most important point is the slow pace of the movie and the rather emptystory.The script could have been much better worked out and it's a shamethat this didn't happen.Polanski has given us the chills with acclaimedthrillers like "Frantic","Rosemary's Baby" and especially "Repulsion" whichis his best movie together with "The Pianist".The tension,intensity andsimplicity of "Repulsion" is never present in "Death and theMaiden".A major critic point is the fact that all so called South Americans all talkEnglish and,even worse,they look English.This takes away the realistic viewsomething that also bothered me with "The Pianist".The acting is fine though,especially Ben Kingsley comes up with a verypowerful and convincing role.The music is repetitive as it is meant to:"Death and the Maiden" is a pieceby Schubert.Still,Roman Polanski can do much better than this as he showed with"Repulsion". 6/10

2012-05-01 14:35:51

Three charecters, one place, absolutely amazing!

A mind blowing piece of cinema indeed, one that you will rarely come across, one of the very few ones that will knock at your Tv screen and grab your attention right from the very start. Signourney Weaver does a terrific job, she is simply out of words, Ben Kingsley and Stuart wilson deliver brilliant performances, The film revolves around just the three characters but enough to keep you engaged and glued to the edge of your seat. Very unpredictable and overwhelming cinema. Brilliant direction and cast performance makes this tiny gem worth a watch.

2012-04-25 10:13:56

is this the best film of the 1990's?

Yes. This is. Well, maybe not, but it is one of the best of the 90's, whatever that means.Everything is top notch here. There isn't a reason to dislike this movie, and if you have one then let me know and I'll tell you where you are wrong.

2012-04-25 05:55:25

NOTHING in comparison to the Broadway show...

I was lucky enough to have seen Death and the Maiden with Glenn Close, Gene Hackman and Richard Dryfuss back in the mid-90's. Seeing this performed on stage was nothing short of spectacular. I had a hard time enjoying the movie given so many changes to the actual play. I so wish it had been taped while still on Broadway...

marcosaguado 2012-04-19 18:57:08

Unbreathable

Three characters, one suffocating place.The bizarre world of Roman Polanski transported to a true, painful andlittle known historical context.The film is an X ray into secret, open wounds.We're never sure what happens in Sigourney's mind, but we're aware that herpain and her anger are real.We are unable to take sides, we're too afraid.We want for the ordeal to end and yet, we're glued to the discomfort anduncertainty.Recommended for masochists and film lovers.

Nimbo 2012-04-19 03:42:18

A superb THRILLER

This movie, Death and the Maiden, is a remarkable production given that itis a stage drama put on film. There is virtually only one set. The actorsare incredible. You never lose the essence of the Director, Roman Polanski.Your interest never wanes in this thriller. Sigourney Weaver isoutstanding. She is shattered by her initial confrontation with hertorturer, Ben Kingsley. And then her recalling of the atrocities at hishands gives her tremendous strength, the strength of a tiger. The climax isunsettling but proves the virtue of forgiveness and acceptance even withextreme misgivings. This is a movie that stays in your memory. Kudos to allconcerned.

kxa 2012-04-15 09:51:12

a play on film

I have mixed feelings about this one. It is well done and not overacted.It is a good movie. Basically only three people, one scene --- it isreallya play on film. The storyline is somewhat predictable, but not contrived.Yet I feel that if this is all there is to the movie, I would have muchpreferred to see this on stage; I think it would have been terrific. Idon't regret seeing it, though. I gave it 8/10.

2012-04-14 18:37:39

An Amazing Film that both entertains and shocks the audience.

This review is from: Death and the Maiden (DVD) This DVD came in perfect condition from the seller. What a classic. Kingsly and Weaver take you through hell and back. Great! A MUST WATCH and OWN! I'm glad its part of my DVD collection.