Films/DVD Asylum

Posted by orejones (D) on September 21, 2004 at 02:06:44

In Reply to: What is the best movie ever directed by an actor? posted by clarkjohnsen on September 20, 2004 at 07:36:47:

...is a wonderfully eerie film, done with that economy of resources which is typical of great masters: it´s astonishing, how that much can be done with so little!

This film is as far from glorifying actor´s playing as it could be: everything in it is at the service of an excellent story, and it flows --even literally, at times-- in the way well told stories do.

Actors are few, and excellent: both Lillian Gish and Robert Mitchum play at their best, making their characters cast in one piece, without any fissures. Even Shelley Winters is able to shine through her short role... And photography is simply wonderful, contributing to the poetic, atemporal, oniric atmosphere of the film. And there´s a hidden tribute to Eisenstein through Jean Vigo in some scenes at the river...

This film is Laughton´s only one, and it´s 100% his own, as Mitchum, in his memories, commented that he (Laughton) had rewritten the whole script, as he was not happy with the original one...

Do I need to say that this is one of my all time favorites?

Regards

BF

PS: I have not mentioned Welles´s films, as he always played the main role in them, making them gravitate around him, what makes them not to comply with your request. So do most of that surprisingly evolved Clint Eastwood. Woody Allen is a very good director, but he has nothing of such a big height, nor does Tim Robbins...