Clearly influenced by rock opera Tommy and revenge films like Death Wish this has still has the feel of a unique voice. Nods for sure to the surreal nightmare world of David Lynch. Cosmatos paces the film like an art film, designs the hell out of a set like an expressionistic film—but there are elements of horror and b-movie action
A huge debt from Cosmatos is owed to the late Johann Johannsson. Johannsson’s score carries parts of the film entirely and elevates and accentuates the qualities of the rest. It’s amongst his best work (Arrival, Sicario)— it’s a great synthesizer score- lover of Vangelis
Cosmato’s camera lingers on every scene
The red hues- a clear aesthetic choice- the red haze of a fog—it’s a very strong mise-en-scene
Andrea Riseborough as the title character looks like a cross between Carol Kane and Shelley Duvall
Bill Duke is superb in his scene
The lighting gives each character these great eerie dilated pupils
The script, as dialogue, is awful. I wish it was a silent film
The world doesn’t laugh at itself (not even in the Cage over-the-top of all over the tops bathroom freak-out)- completely self-serious and I think the film benefits from it. There’s no overt winking at the absurdities we’re seen in some scenes
The scene where bad guy cult-leader Linus Roache first sees Mandy is a standout so far amongst individual scenes in 2018. It’s shot in the film’s sumptuous red haze— but then there’s slow motion photography, a triple Scorsese dissolve and a freeze-frame on her
Love the “A” shaped church as a set piece
A slow-burn gonzo surrealism film- there are multiple film mentions of dreams and nightmares
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