SIFF 2015: The Rich World of The Color of Pomegranates (1969)

Armenian director Sergei Parajanov's The Color of Pomegranates explores the life of 18th century poet and musician Saya-Nova in a visual, poetic style. With a series of brightly-hued tableaux it attempts to explore his inner life and the way his surroundings inspired him. It is a mysterious, regal film with a mysticism reminiscent of Alejandro Jodorowsky, though with a less brutal approach than that director. 

A gorgeous new digital restoration of the film by Cineteca di Bologna and The Film Foundation’s World Cinema Project played to a packed, hushed house this week at Seattle International Film Festival.

As the film unrolls, different stages of the poet's life are explored in somewhat chronological order, though the timeline can occasionally shift into the past. We are shown a public bath, the slaughter of sacrificial lambs, wool being dyed for rugs and women sitting at the loom weaving. 

The young Saya-Nova observes silently, inserting himself into each scenario, but rarely participating. It is an extremely effective way to demonstrate how the poet was influenced by the events in his life.

The static, but vividly-executed scenes that make up Pomegranate are staged with deliberate pacing and a sense of discipline. With its feeling of ceremony and tradition, it reminded me a lot of a Kabuki performance I saw as a child. Ordinary details of life are made extraordinary with this added sense of drama. You can sense how life was more intensely felt by the poet.

This is a film devoted to the senses. It is rich with bright bursts of color against a canvas of grays and whites. The sound is just as striking, alive with the crackling of book pages and the sensuous sound of splashing water. Because there are few spoken words and no dialogue, you are freed to absorb every nuance of the sound and visuals.

The actors in Pomegranate are rigid to the point of being objects themselves, reinforcing the tableaux feel. They are almost sinister in their sense of quiet and mystery. There is rarely a smile, and most of the words spoken are in narration, and so you are left to observe as if in a gallery, wondering about the inner life of these beautifully costumed and painted characters.

I know nothing about Armenian culture, so I was often not sure which elements were the creation of the director. Many of the dances, costumes and songs had a traditional feel, but I wondered what touches Parajanov had added to the mix. I do know that the director intended to make a film a Transcaucasian, multi-cultural project, drawing from traditions of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Kyiv, all of them filming locations as well.

Director Sergei Parajanov had a rocky life. He was born in Tbilisi, Georgia, in the former Soviet Union (which is now Armenia)in 1924. He rejected the accepted socialist realism filmmaking style of his country and was constantly reviled for pursuing his own artistic vision. His lifestyle was also controversial: in 1948 the director was imprisoned for homosexuality, which was illegal at the time, though he only served a short term.

His first wife was murdered by her family because she converted to his religion to marry him; his second wife gave him a son and while the marriage didn't last, their friendship endured. By 1973, Parajanov was in trouble with the government again for his bisexuality and rebellious lifestyle. He was sentenced to five years in a labor camp. By then the director had the support of an international artistic community who protested his imprisonment, but to no avail.

Sergei Parajanov

You can sense the intensity of Parajanov's life and his rebellion against conventionality in his work. Martin Scorsese called Pomegranates, "unlike anything in cinema history" and that description is apt. A work this magical does not come out of conformity and is a testament to the power of pursuing individual thought.

It was interesting to hear the reactions of the audience to this unusual film as they wandered out of the theater in a daze. One adorable young man walked in stunned silence with his boyfriend for a moment, before he turned to him and asked, "so, should we have chicken tonight?" at which they both started laughing. Other people I overheard trying to unravel the mysteries of the film alternated between simply deciding to admire the colorful, regal feel of the film, to attempting to find literal meaning in the way the different parts of the poet's life were presented.

It is this sort of adventurous programming that makes SIFF one of the best festivals in operation. I'm immensely grateful to have experienced this film on the big screen.

The SIFF 2015 schedule is here.

My SIFF 2015 suggestions for classic film fans are here.

On DVD: Montalban and Charisse in Sombrero (1953)

Sombrero imagines Mexico as a Technicolor dream land. Its story of three love affairs is sprinkled throughout with authentic details, from songs and dances to costumes and locations, but this is life south-of-the-border Hollywood style, which is just what you'd expect from a lavish MGM production. Now this enjoyable, if jumbled, romantic melodrama is available on DVD from Warner Archive.

Ricardo Montalban stars as Pepe, a mischievous, but good-hearted cheesemaker who is determined to end a feud between two villages, one of them his home. He is equally set on winning the heart of Eufemia (Pier Angeli) the daughter of the mayor in the village opposing his own.

Angeli and Montalban

Pepe's friend, the wealthy Alejandro (Vittorio Gassman), is also similarly obsessed with a forbidden love, the poor Maria (Yvonne de Carlo), whom his father feels is not worthy of his son's position. He instead wants his son to marry the more prominent Elena (Nina Foch).

In yet another forbidden affair, are Ruben the candy peddler (Rick Jason) and Lola (Cyd Charisse), the gypsy sister of a superstitious and possessive bull fighter (Jose Greco). Everybody in this movie seems to be star-crossed.

Gassman and de Carlo

In the midst of the pining lovers and feuding villagers, there are songs, dances, festivals and an amusing chase sequence. Montalban sings a charming tune; Greco dances a bracing flamenco and Charisse is unusually primal in a passionate solo number.

It all feels thrown together, the marvelous, the dull and the baffling. I found I had to rewind a few times to get my bearings with the plot. There are also so many characters suffering in various ways that the melodrama can seem to heave a bit too heavily at times.

Charisse and Jason

Still, Sombrero is a fascinating oddity. The Mexican location shooting provides a fascinating glimpse of the country in the 1950s (particularly of Mexico City) and the unusual presentation of the songs and dances makes it feel less like a musical and more like a drama/romance with artistic interludes.

I enjoyed the movie for its novelty and oddball, but somehow cohesive cast. Mexican Montalban is supported by an amusingly international group of players. In 1950s Hollywood, an olive complexion, and dark hair and eyes made an actor Latin enough. Among the Italian, American, Canadian, Dutch and Austrian stars, only Foch seems not even "Hollywood Mexican."

A must-see for devotees of its stars. An enjoyable excursion for fans of big MGM productions and musicals that go off the beaten path.

Many thanks to Warner Archive for providing a copy of the film for review. This is a Manufacture on Demand (MOD) DVD. To order, visit The Warner Archive Collection.

SIFF 2015: The Son of the Sheik (1926) with Alloy Orchestra

I've had the good fortune to see a lot of silent movies with live musical accompaniment, and I can't think of anything that has thrilled me as much as The Alloy Orchestra's performance at SIFF Cinema Uptown did last night. The group's exciting, dramatic score was the perfect complement to Valentino's final film.

Valentino would attend the premiere of The Son of the Sheik, but he did not live to see the release of the film. While he would not likely have turned into an acting heavyweight, and perhaps the talkies would have destroyed him, in a dual role as father and son, he demonstrates ability for something more than wild eyes and flaring nostrils. He was clearly developing his craft, something he had done for the most part in front of the camera.

The Son of the Sheik was one of the first Hollywood sequels. It revisits one of Valentino's most famous roles, as the titular The Sheik (1921), which was about a wealthy middle eastern who snatches a prim lady and claims her for his own, to her horrified delight. (This so titillated the star's fans that women would travel to the Middle East in search of their own sheik.) 

Now the sheik from that film has a grown son of his own, named Ahmed, who is just as willing to take a woman by force, despite his father's hypocritical disapproval. Valentino plays both roles, and while he sometimes looks into his Dad's navel instead of his face, for the most part the technical aspects of their dual screen performances are smoothly executed.

The Ahmed becomes entranced by a young dancer (Vilma Banky). When he believes she has betrayed him to the more unscrupulous members of her troupe so that he can be robbed and tortured, he furiously takes his revenge upon her. This means kidnapping, a frenzied ride through the desert to a lavish tent, and a scene that ends with the angry young man slowly walking towards the dancer as she cowers on a bed.

When papa sheik finds out about his son's hijinks, he demands that he release the dancer. After his attempts to influence Ahmed have failed, he goes home to mama sheik (Agnes Ayres), who happens to be the lady he kidnapped in the previous film.They have now apparently been happily married for several years.

It's funny to see this pair so domesticated. There's a flashback to the day papa Sheik snatched his wife-to-be off her horse and barked out the famous command, "lie still, you little fool!" They cozily discuss the event as if it were a charming interlude. The matronly Ayres practically coos, "now remember the time you raped me honey?" as she defends her son.

Aside from all these shockingly un-PC moments, the whole purpose of the film seems to be to provide Valentino with plenty of opportunities to smolder, glower and move his flashing eyes from left to right. While some of that posturing did draw a couple of giggles from the audience, there's no denying that whatever power he had over his fans still endures to some degree today. He has a timeless magnetism that I sometimes found literally breathtaking, and it was even more exciting to see on the big screen.

Alloy Orchestra provided its own restoration print for the screening, and while it didn't have the pristine sheen of some of the silent restorations I've seen lately, it was of decent quality. Not quite clean, but sharp enough to allow undistracted enjoyment of the film.

I forgot my camera, so here's my dim phone shot of "the contraption"

I had heard amazing things about Alloy Orchestra, a Cambridge, MA-based trio, and they more than lived up to my expectations. Keyboard player Roger Miller performed to the left of the screen, while musicians Terry Donahue and Ken Winokur sat in a crazy contraption to the right of the screen that held chimes, drums, an accordion, a clarinet and all sorts of other instruments I couldn’t make out. I sometimes found it difficult to watch the movie because it was so much fun to watch the musicians play, but the marriage of music and action was so exciting in the final scenes that I finally glued my eyes to the screen.

Possibly due to a slightly higher ticket price and the midweek screening, the house was not quite packed, but there was a great, appreciative crowd--much of it on its feet to applaud the musicians at the end.

Alloy Orchestra sells a DVD of the film in which the group performs its accompaniment for the film on its website. Take a look at the other titles they have to offer as well; there are lots of interesting releases, including several from Kino.

***

The SIFF 2015 schedule is here.

My SIFF 2015 suggestions for classic film fans are here.

Drugs and Intrigue in Sol Madrid (1968)

Sol Madrid is a shiny piece of spy gloss, given substance by a charismatic supporting cast. Players Telly Savalas, Rip Torn and Ricardo Montalban all have their moments. They outshine a predictable plot and bland David McCallum in the titular lead of this new release from Warner Archive.

McCallum (The Man From U.N.C.L.E., NCIS) is an undercover narcotics agent who travels to Acapulco to find Harry Mitchell (Pat Hingle) an accountant who has stolen half a million dollars from the Mafia. While posing as a dealer, he plans to convince him to testify against the mob before he is killed for his theft. To increase his leverage, and gain access to criminal circles, including that of drug kingpin Dietrich (Savalas), he forces Mitchell's girlfriend Stacey (Stella Stevens), who has half the money, to come with him.

While Madrid makes an impression on Dietrich, the charismatic dealer is wary of this mysterious new heroin dealer. He isn't menacing though, which is odd for a man with so much power. As mob bigwig Dano Villanova, Rip Torn handles the threatening behavior, and with his sharp beak of a nose and unsettling gaze, he is truly terrifying. This vicious character gets ex-girlfriend Stacey hooked on heroin as revenge for her rejection of him.

Stevens is morose, but sometimes oddly appealing as a prostitute who has made some horrible decisions in her life and is beginning to pay for them. She can't handle the dramatic demands of her part though, sounding snippy and cranky rather than furious when she lashes out at her tormentors. Still, she gets some of the best wisecracks, second only to Savalas, and she gives them bite.

The Mexico locations and costumes are beautiful, and hip nightclubs and groovy music offer plenty of period flair. While, it's a little too bleak to qualify as frothy 60s spy fun, it has it's moments of high style and humor.

It's the trio of Savalas, Torn and Montalban that makes Sol Madrid something special though. They're always a compelling presence. Watching them is like gorging on candy, they're so darn good it gives you a rush and you know you're going to crash when camera focuses elsewhere.

Whenever McCallum is required to hold a scene on his own, the energy level drops noticeably. How can these crooks take this unimposing guy with the Dennis the Menace haircut seriously? I guess confidence counts for a lot.

As basic as the plot may be, David Karp's dialogue has punch. At first, I wondered how good it was, or if the fact that Montalban's taxi driver/undercover agent was rolling those words around made me like them more. It was the same with Telly Savalas. I think he could just say "doggy doo" a few dozen times and I would be enthralled, and maybe even a bit turned on. 

Still, the last line might be one of the most efficiently cold I've ever heard in a movie. It was a surprisingly abrupt, but effective way to end that final scene. And there are lots of sharp touches and cynical laughs like that. This is actually one of the more witty spy scripts of the sixties.

Sol Madrid would have been a lot more memorable with a charismatic lead, but it's solid entertainment. Fans of 1960s spy drama, or the actors in the supporting cast should find much to love.

Many thanks to Warner Archive for providing a copy of the film for review. This is a Manufacture on Demand (MOD) DVD. To order, visit The Warner Archive Collection.

Screenshot of the Week: Kay Francis

Kay Francis hits her target in British Agent (1934).

SIFF 2015 for Classic Film Fans: What to See

Seattle International Film Festival has always been a great place for classic movies, but this year it is movie nirvana. With eight films from Martin Scorsese's The Film Foundation, several special archival presentations and several tributes and documentaries, the festival is an especially alluring destination for classic film fans.

On this first day of the festival, here is my roundup, arranged in the order in which the movies will be screened. All film titles are linked to information about tickets, theaters and show times. I plan to attend the starred films:

Tab Hunter Confidential (2015)
Tab Hunter has been making the festival rounds with this documentary about his life and career, and SIFF is no exception. From what I've seen, he's still movie star handsome and very charming, so this will be a great appearance to catch. Producer Allen Glaser will also attend.

*The Red Shoes (1948)
If ever there was a film that needed to be seen on the big screen, it is this gloriously colorful dance film classic, a high point in the career of cinematographer Jack Cardiff.

Listen to Me Marlon (2015)
Via archival footage, Marlon Brando narrates his own life in this documentary directed by Steven Riley (Everything or Nothing: The Untold Story of 007 [2012]).

The Old Dark House (1932)
One of the lesser-known horror flicks directed by James Whale (Frankenstein [1931], Bride of Frankenstein [1935]), this is a delightfully strange film thanks to an eccentric cast of characters.

*The Son of the Sheik (1926)
I'm still in delighted disbelief that this entertaining Valentino movie will be featured at the festival. It's my favorite of the silent star's few. The screening is sure to be an exciting event. To be accompanied by Alloy Orchestra.

*The Color of the Pomegranates (1969)
I know nothing about this one except for the three minutes of footage I watched in the film's trailer. I've found that with experimental movies, it's best just to dive in.

The Apu Trilogy:
*Song of the Little Road (Pather Panchali) (1955)/The Unvanquished (Aparajito) (1957)/The World of Apu (Apur Sansar) (1959)
I was so young when I first saw these films. Though I enjoyed them, I don't think I fully appreciated their beauty. Watching them in a three movie marathon is sure to be a memorable experience.

Alyam, Alyam (1978)
This Moroccan classic was restored by The Film Foundation’s World Cinema Project at Cineteca di Bologna/L'Immagine Ritrovata laboratory.

*The Astrologer (1975)
For my first Midnight SIFF movie ever, I will be watching this crazy rediscovered flick that has been all the rage with critics at festivals all year. I can't wait to experience its supposed insanity.

*The Dark Mirror (1946)/Caught (1949)
Film noirs with strong female leads will be the focus of this director Robert Siodmak double feature.

*Rebel Without a Cause (1955)
This screening of the James Dean classic is in tribute to beloved local screenwriter Stewart Stern passed, who passed earlier this year.

Black Girl (1966)
The restoration of this Senegalese classic about post-colonial society is sure to be beautiful.

*Saved From the Flames - A Trip to the Moon and Other Trips Through Time and Space
I've heard that Serge Bromberg's presentations of rare films are amazing, and while I'm looking forward to seeing the clips, I'm sure I'll also love fangirling over this preservationist who has done so much to preserve treasures from the earliest days of film.

*Cave of the Spider Women (1927) /Cave of Silken Web (1967)
This is one of the presentations I'm looking forward to the most, just to experience the juxtaposition of a silent film with live accompaniment (excellent pianist Donald Sosin) with a colorful, campy and action-filled Shaw Brothers film.

A Tribute to Stewart Stern: Rebel Without a Cause Screenplay Reading
I love that there will also be a reading of Stewart Stern's masterwork at the festival. SIFF has pulled together a great tribute to this man.

Que Viva Mexico (1979)
Executed via storyboards and outlines made by Sergei Eisenstein in 1932, this film is rumored to be one of the best concepts created by the director.

Sherlock Holmes (1916)
One of those found films that elicit excitement from silent film fans, this early film appearance of the famous detective was filmed in the UK.

Eisenstein In Guanajuato (2015)
This Peter Greenaway biopic follows director Sergei Eisenstein as he travels to Mexico in 1931 to make what would eventually be Que Viva Mexico (1979).

I can't wait to start watching films! The line-up this year is phenomenal. I will share all the details with you in the weeks to come.

On DVD: Roddy McDowall Produces and Stars In Black Midnight (1949)

As a twenty-year-old maturing child star in 1949, Roddy McDowall must have wondered about his fate. So many actors struggle to successfully make the transition to adult careers. He was at that awkward age when Monogram Studios signed him to a contract, where he would star in and coproduce six films. One of these, the western Black Midnight (1949) is now available on DVD from Warner Archive.

Perhaps with McDowall's successes in animal pictures like Lassie Come Home (1943), and My Friend Flicka (1943) in mind, Monogram continued the theme with this story of a boy who tames a high-spirited horse. This isn't just about a boy and his horse though; crime, violence and emerging sexuality all play a role and save the movie from becoming overly sentimental.

McDowell is Scott, the ward of his Uncle Bill, a farmer who lives in the wide open spaces of Lone Pine. Both men are delighted when two women they adore: the widow Martha Baxter (Fay Baker) and her daughter Cindy (Lyn Thomas) who have been long absent return to the area to put down roots for good. While they and the townspeople celebrate at the widow's rousing Fourth of July hoedown, Bill's long lost, rebellious son Daniel returns home. He is accompanied by a herd of horses with mysterious brands and a shifty looking cowhand.

The hoedown before the drama

One of the horses is a wild, dark stallion, who causes so much trouble for Daniel that he's ready to shoot him. Scott intervenes and buys the horse, names him Black Midnight and becomes determined to tame him. And he does, neglecting Cindy in the process. This leaves her open to flirtation from the manly, and more worldly Daniel.

When he discovers Daniel has stolen the horses, Scott struggles to make him do the right thing, especially when Black Midnight gets caught in the middle of the drama. Cindy comes to his aid when she realizes she's gone for a bad boy that's a bit too bad.

Black Midnight is an unusual film. It's almost a family flick, with its wholesome laughs and sweetness, but there's also a strong dark streak and some fairly intense violence. It touches on multiple genres, while defying categorization. Overall, you could call this a coming-of-age tale though, because Scott grows up in many ways over the course of the movie.

At age twenty, McDowall was still often accompanied by his parents on the set, and he hadn't had many opportunities to live life on his own. You can sense his real life naiveté in his scenes with Cindy, where Scott is clearly feeling urges he doesn't fully understand. It makes you wonder if Uncle Bill has gotten around to having the sex talk with him. When Daniel comes into town and makes it clear he knows exactly what to do about his urges, it's easy to understand why Cindy is intrigued.

In a climactic scene, Scott and Daniel have a surprisingly brutal fight. As the blows fly, you can see the younger boy's childhood finally falling fully away. In one shocking moment Daniel plunges a knife through a chair and barely misses his cousin's face, and it seems McDowall's as well. That Scott perseveres, despite his inexperience and plunges into the battle--and consequently adulthood--without hesitation is a sign of his growing maturity.

As with The Hired Hand (1957), which I reviewed earlier this week, I was constantly in awe of the Lone Pine locations. The soft sensuous rock formations against imposing peaks and the sound of birds singing and wind blowing made the story feel much more real. I love that so many films were freed from the sound stage and set in this famous location.

The film was a pleasant way to pass an hour, and impressed me enough that I'd like to see more of McDowall's Monogram productions. Even when he was struggling to bridge the gap between childhood and adulthood, he was an appealing performer. With his non-cloying sweetness and decency, he always inspires you to root for him.

Many thanks to Warner Archive for providing a copy of the film for review. This is a Manufacture on Demand (MOD) DVD. To order, visit The Warner Archive Collection.