My dear amiga Madeleina (also the instigator of this blog), came over today and brought with her the Virgin Suicides on dvd. I had never seen it and was interested to see Sofia Coppola's debut feature.
A few hours have passed and the film is still lingering in my thoughts. The Virgin Suicides is eerie and the girls have an almost ethereal and beguiling quality about them. I almost want to describe the film as translucent as the lighting/cinematography feel quite light and fleeting but the sickening feeling in one's stomach remains and suggests otherwise about the weight of the film. The use of light and shadow in this film is memorable; the days seem long and sparse in the mid 1970's Michigan suburbs under the Elm trees that are constantly being overrun by disease. This film might not be meant to be fully understood although I find it hard to digest this 'lack of ending' as atypical in many post 1995 art house/'Dendy'/'Verona' films... I usually want something more solid, more tangible but in this instance, I enjoy the space, the lack of consequence. The film is abstract and perfect in this way.
James Woods gives a moving performance as the father, not so instantanteously affected by the girls death and virtual imprisonment. He slowly fades like a wilting flower in the summer heat into a 'light' insanity. An honourable mention must go to Josh Harnett for his hair alone, which Madeleine pointed out was reminiscent of Javier Bardem in No Country for Old Men. Hideous. His swagger is also giggle-worthy. Very 70's. Also, Kirsten Dunst, without actually saying very much at all, is very well-cast.
3.5 stars
A few hours have passed and the film is still lingering in my thoughts. The Virgin Suicides is eerie and the girls have an almost ethereal and beguiling quality about them. I almost want to describe the film as translucent as the lighting/cinematography feel quite light and fleeting but the sickening feeling in one's stomach remains and suggests otherwise about the weight of the film. The use of light and shadow in this film is memorable; the days seem long and sparse in the mid 1970's Michigan suburbs under the Elm trees that are constantly being overrun by disease. This film might not be meant to be fully understood although I find it hard to digest this 'lack of ending' as atypical in many post 1995 art house/'Dendy'/'Verona' films... I usually want something more solid, more tangible but in this instance, I enjoy the space, the lack of consequence. The film is abstract and perfect in this way.
James Woods gives a moving performance as the father, not so instantanteously affected by the girls death and virtual imprisonment. He slowly fades like a wilting flower in the summer heat into a 'light' insanity. An honourable mention must go to Josh Harnett for his hair alone, which Madeleine pointed out was reminiscent of Javier Bardem in No Country for Old Men. Hideous. His swagger is also giggle-worthy. Very 70's. Also, Kirsten Dunst, without actually saying very much at all, is very well-cast.
3.5 stars
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