The Pianist – 2002 Polanski

  Through editing Polanski has a true gift for creating paranoia. You can see it in rosemary’s baby, Chinatown, and ghost writer. It’s palpable as he slowly brings the pianist to a boil – there’s an unmistakable sense of horrific doom (of course here it's the holocaust) Known for Brody’s Oscar win- I still think DDL in gangs of new york is superior but Brody does a great job here and he’s a deserving Oscar winner. There’s weight loss, face manipulation (to show both weight loss and sickness) yet it’s a reserved performance- not showy at all which I

The Pianist – 2002 Polanski2017-03-21T16:37:15+00:00

Get Out – 2017 Peele

First archiveable film from 2017 for me- I saw I don’t feel at home in this world anymore as well and it missed the archives- it’s an entertaining miss but a miss nonetheless It’s the debut from Peele (who also wrote it) There are past cinema influences galore here- rosemary’s baby (which peele admits is an influence) is visible in the success at which Peele achieves true paranoia. There are also some touches of being john Malkovich, guess who’s coming to dinner, carpenter’s they live, and invasion of body snatchers- it’s almost always a good sign when a film

Get Out – 2017 Peele2022-02-22T22:26:18+00:00

The Ghost Writer – 2010 Polanski

The film is so much better, and closer to Chinatown than critics gave it credit for in 2010. Including the Chinatown comparisons are little things like the hired help at the house on the ocean sweeping the never-ending grass off the deck (being blown on by wind) just like the saltwater pool in the backyard of Dunaway’s house in Chinatown There are also comparisons to both Chinatown and rosemary’s baby (and other polanski’s films) with the sheer paranoia and anxiety he’s able to create. Powerful stuff. McGregor googling CIA contacts scene reminds me of Mia Farrow reading the book

The Ghost Writer – 2010 Polanski2017-02-23T20:05:32+00:00
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