Displaying items by tag: Pablo Larrain

MARIA

Germany, 2024, 124 minutes, Colour.

Angelina Jolie, Pierfrancesco Favini, Alba Rohrwacher, Haluk Bilginer, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Stephen Ashfield, Valeria Golina, Caspar Phillipson.

Directed by Pablo Larrain.

It is almost 50 years since the death of famed opera singer, Maria Callas. She died in 1977, aged 53. Franco Zeffirelli made a film of the last week of her life, Callas Forever, with Fanny Ardant. Fanny Ardant collaborated with documentary filmmaker, Tom Volf’s documentary, 2017 documentary, Maria by Callas.

This is a film for both older audiences and younger audiences. It will offer older audiences the opportunity to remember, to listen again to the many arias throughout this film, the voice of Callas herself. The film will offer to those younger, who don’t remember her, a vivid portrait.

The film was written by English screenwriter, Steven Knight (Pretty Dirty Things, Peaky Blinders and many films and television series) but, importantly, was directed by the Chilean, Pablo Larrain, directors of significant political films but also two other biographies of significant 20^th century women, Jackie (Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis) and Spencer (Princess Diana). Interestingly, there is the common denominator of Aristotle Onassis in Jackie and Maria.

And the choice of Angelina Jolie. She moves quite majestically through the film, often sweepingly, not only a prima donna, but one might say the sola donna, proud, sometimes arrogant in her interactions with people. The main focus is on the last week of her life, opening with her death, flashbacks of the previous week but, of course, flashbacks to past performances and achievements, and memories of her relationship with Onassis, and the insertion of an episode of meeting Jacqueline Kennedy at a party, present at the birthday where Marilyn Monroe sang (and some acid comments on her voice), and an icy encounter with JFK. (Callas in fact sang at this occasion.)

However, the main supporting characters here are her to devoted servants, her butler and her housemaid of many years, played by Italian stars, Pierfrancesco Favini and Alba Rohrwacher. We look at the ways she interacts with them, as she speaks to them, always superior, but a deep affection and sometimes dependence on them.

There is also the device of her wandering around Paris, stopping at various locations, flashbacks to performances, especially an orchestra playing in the rain, a scene from Madame Butterfly… And, during this wandering, there is a young filmmaker, Kodi Smit McPhee, called Mandrax, the drug that she was taking for support, her interactions with Mandrax, her conversations, his response, final hallucinations as she reviews her life.

This is a portrait of Maria Callas rather than a biography, an opportunity to listen again, to appreciate, to wonder at the complexities of personality for figures in the public eye.

1. Audience knowledge of and admiration for Maria Callas, her voice, performance, career? What is knowledge of her life, mother, the war, criticisms of being fat, her emergence, her husband, the encounter with Aristotle Onassis, life with him, separating from him, her loss of her voice, her final years?
2. The work of the director, his portrait of Jacqueline Kennedy, of Princess Diana, and the into cutting off the two women and their lives with Onassis?
3. The framework of the film, the opening with Maria Callas’s death, her assistance standing around, the flashback of the seven days, the flashbacks within flashbacks, her performances, black-and-white photography, Angelina Jolie and her voice, the lip syncing with Maria Callas’s voice, the locations and her memories, her tablets, the filmmaker and her hallucinations, the conversations? The clash with her doctor? Of the theatre with the pianist, the technician in the spotlight, the journalist and his later confrontation?
4. The importance of Ferrucio and Bruna? With Maria Callas for so many years, butler, housekeeper, with her in Paris, Bruna and the meals, the conversation, The ratio and the moving of the piano, concern about the doctor, that Maria Callas’ beck and call, her treatment of them, her dependence on them, their loyal service? The memories of being at her performances in the past? The concern in the present, her death?
5. The film offering an overview of Maria Callas’ career, born in New York, her mother, the German soldiers, in Venice, the initial success, the visualising of the various concerts, the buildings in Paris, the performance in the rain with the orchestra, Madame Butterfly, her success, the decline? For testing her voice, but wanting to listen to her records? The final aria?
6. Her personal relationships, the glimpse of her husband, at the party, the encounter with Onassis, his estimation of himself, rich and powerful, his infatuation with her, the invitation to the yacht, going with her husband, the beginning of the relationship, Onassis’ love for her, her moving away, not marrying, the issue of children, not wanting to be controlled? But her final visit to him?
7. The contrivance of the scene at Kennedy’s birthday party, Marilyn Monroe’s happy birthday song, her comments of Marilyn Monror and the voice, the encounter with Jackie Kennedy, the yacht, the discussions with Kennedy himself, her estimation of himself and the relationships?
8. The device of the film, the director and the name of the drug, Mandrax, the interviews, his responses, initially stolid, mellowing, the various scenes and interviews? The device, the hallucinations from her drugs? Herself revelations?
9. The prima donna, the diva, her arrogance, treatment of people, the fan who had missed her performance and her treatment of him, the attack on the intrusive journalist, the conversation with the man at the bar and her music?

• The film as a portrait rather than a biography? Angelina Jolie’s performance? The sequences of actual Maria Callas during the final credits – more smiling and genial and throughout the film?

EL CONDE

Chile, 2023, 110 minutes, Black-and-white.

Jaime Vadell, Gloria Munchmeyer, Alfredo Castro, Paula Luchsinger, Stella Gonet, Catalina Guerra, Amparo Noguerra, Antonio Zegers, Marcial Tagle, Diego Munoz, Clemente Rodriguez.

Directed by Pablo Larrain.

If you came across a news item or headline about this latest film from distinguished Chilean director, Pablo Larraiin, the immediate reaction might be to wonder what has happened to his mind. You would read that he has decided to dramatise and interpret the dictator, Pinochet, as a vampire. And he has made the film, using Pinochet’s chosen description of himself as a Count, El Conde. Vampire Pinochet.

For older audiences who may remember the Pinochet years in Chile, from 1973 to 1989, at time of repression, thousands of disappeared, ruthlessness, and his avaricious acquiring of hidden wealth, the vampire analogy may not seem so absurd. Larrain himself was born in 1974 and so grew up during this period, and dramatised aspects of this in his films, Tony Manero and, especially his film about elections in the 1980s, No. (Audiences not familiar with his Chilean films will be interested to remember that he directed a portrait of Jackie Kennedy, Jackie with Natalie Portman, and, more recently, Spencer, Princess Diana played by Kristin Stewart.)

Does the analogy work? Pinochet, as played by Hymie the Dell who more than resembles the older Pinochet, is sinister and self-seeking. There is also a portrait of his wife, seen here as also avaricious, unfaithful, longing for her husband to bite her neck and vamp arise her, but he refuses. He has a sinister Igor equivalent, a Russian exile, fired or. And, later in the film, paralleling reality in 2007, his five children assembling to argue about his estate.

But, there is a voice-over, remarkably like the voice and intonations of Margaret Thatcher. Later, she will appear, and, no spoilers now, an interesting relationship with Pinochet, more than when he took refuge in England and had her sponsorship. In fact, the narrative goes back to pre--French revolution days, the young Pinochet dismayed by revolutionaries and wanting them putdown, upset at the death of Marie Antoinette, taking refuge in the desert mountains of Chile.

As we watch, it all becomes rather convincing, presented in stark black-and-white, Pinochet in the desert, but with a capacity for flying over the terrain. And, as if this isn’t enough, a nun is sent to probe the doubledealing finances, but experiences more than she bargained for.

As said, for audiences who remember the period, a challenging opportunity to remember, to be disgusted at the violence and inhumanity of the dictator. For younger audiences, an opportunity to find out something about these tragic moments in Chilean history.

1. The premise that Pinochet was a vampire? Credible/preposterous? The imaginative treatment?
2. The work of the director, Chilean, his age, the experience of the Pinochet regime, his films, critical of Pinochet, the dramatising of Chile during that era, the aftermath? This film is a later condemnation of Pinochet, as a person, his ambitions, government, corruption, finance, cruelty, murders?
3. The black-and-white photography, the 18^th century, the Chilean desert, interiors, the elaborate basement of the Desert house? The musical score? Moments of colour at the end?
4. The narration, the Margaret Thatcher voice and intonations? The revelation about Margaret Thatcher as a character, her coming to the Desert house, the confrontation, the revelation about her being Pinochet’s mother?
5. Going back to the 18^th century, the birth of Pinochet, revolutionary France, friendship with Marie Antoinette, her execution, his determination against uprisings and rebels? His vampire behaviour, blood, women, victims?
6. Disappearing, reappearing in Chile, the 1960s and 1970s, the Socialist government, Allende, Pinochet and his rise, the coup, the American support? The change of regime? The next 17 years?
7. Pinochet and his wife, her support, with him in the desert, her ambitions? Wanting to become a vampire? Her relationship with Fyador? The liaison, the power struggle, confrontations with her husband? His knowing the truth?
8. Pinochet, wanting to die, his experiences of living, of being a vampire, weary? Yet still calculating? Not revamp your eyes in his wife?
9. The story of come and cheater, the conference, the discussions, singing, the choice of Carmen? Being sent to Pinochet? Financial issues? To bring him down? Taking of the habit, travelling to the desert, the encounters with Pinochet, his being charmed, her examining the books, the encounter with Pinochet’s children, with his wife, the threats about the money? The relationship with Pinochet, becoming a vampire? Her ability to fly, through the skies, over the earth? The reaction of his children, his wife, death?
10. Financial issues, the early 20^th century, Chile, government, examination of fraud, charging of Pinochet’s children? Their arrival, the different personalities, their meetings, discussions, taunts, controls? Wary of Carmen? The revelations about the financial situation?
11. Fyodor, his behaviour, obsequious service of Pinochet, yet with his wife, behind his back, the basement, the contents, the power?
12. Pinochet, his ability to fly, over the land, into the sky, the exhilaration?
13. The end of his empire, Fyodor, Pinochet’s wife, vampire, confrontation, destruction?
14. The arrival of Margaret Thatcher, her taking control, her prime ministerial manner, voice and intonation, clothes, coming to the desert, taking control, the revelation about Pinochet being her son, the flashbacks to the 18^th century, her wanting her son back?
15. The colour at the end, the change of tone, giving the audience the chance to reflect on their experience and this insight into the character, behaviour, dictatorship of Pinochet?