Taking Woodstock

Taking Woodstock / Taking Woodstock. US (c) 2009 Focus Features. P: Ang Lee, James Schamus. D: Ang Lee. SC: James Schamus - based on the book Taking Woodstock: A True Story of a Riot, a Concert, and a Life (2007) by Elliot Tiber and Tom Monte. DP: Eric Gautier - Arricam Cameras, Zeiss and Angenieux Lenses - Super 35 (3-perf) - DeLuxe - digital intermediate 2K - print 35mm 1,85:1. M: Danny Elfman + a great compilation score. CAST: Demetri Martin (Elliot Tiber), Imelda Staunton (Sonia Teichberg), Henry Goodman (Jack Teichberg), Liev Schreiber (Vilma), Jonathan Groff (Michael Lang), Emile Hirsch (Billy, a recently returned Vietnam vet), Paul Dano and Kelli Garner (a hippie couple in a VW), Jeffrey Dean Morgan (Dan, Billy's brother and in opposition to the festival), Eugene Levy (Max Yasgur). 110 min. A FS Film release with Finnish / Swedish subtitles by Taina Komu / Ditte Kronström. Viewed at Tennispalatsi 14, 11 Sep 2009 (Finnish premiere day). - A cheap digital look. - A satirical account on the mounting of the Woodstock Festival. Based on a book, whose factual validity has been contested, but it does not matter, at least it is good fiction. - I'm aware that this film has been rated as minor Ang Lee, but to me this is Ang Lee at his best. I'm a fan of his first trilogy (Pushing Hands, The Wedding Banquet, Eat Drink Man Woman), and this film has a similar humoristic approach. - From a small angle it lets us have a look at a big story: the biggest concert ever, with world historical gravity. - It's about world politics, about the generation gap, about sexual orientation, about drug delusion, about finding oneself, about disorientation, about freedom. - I look forward to revisiting this. - Visually shoddy, yet with a pleasant and elaborate homage to Michael Wadleigh's great documentary, complete with split screen sequences. - The music score is an enjoyable compilation of vintage tracks, new reconstructions, and Danny Elfman original compositions.

Se, jie

Lust, Caution / Lust, Caution. US / CN / TW / HK (c) 2007 Hai Sheng Film Production Company etc. P: William Kong, Ang Lee. D: Ang Lee. SC: James Schamus, Hui-Ling Wang - based on the story by Eileen Chang. DP: Rodrigo Prieto. Starring Tony Leung (Mr. Yee), Wei Tang ("Mrs. Mak", Wong Chia Chi), Joan Chen (Mrs. Yee). In Finland the long uncut version 157 min. Released by Sandrew, Finnish / Swedish subtitles by Arto Vartiainen / Ditte Kronström. Viewed at Maxim 1, Helsinki, 9 Feb 2008. A resistance story during the Japanese invasion of China in 1938-1942. Young students plan to assassinate the collaborationist leader, Mr. Yee, by planting a young woman as his mistress, "Mrs. Mak". An elaborate scheme of sex and violence develops. Having recently watched Lubitsch spectacles where the French Revolution and the English Reformation are observed from the viewpoint of the bedchamber I noticed in this film some affinities with them, as well as with Notorious and North by Northwest by Hitchcock. As a Western viewer I would have been interested to learn more about the terrible occupation and the brave resistance, too little known outside China. The sex scenes are powerful but isn't there some imbalance between the epic and the intimate? Anyway, it's another high profile and novel contribution from Ang Lee.

The Ice Storm

100454 / 14 / US / 1997 / Lee, Ang / / drama

Ice Storm, The / Jäämyrsky. PC: 20th Century Fox. D: Ang Lee. Based on the novel by Rick Moody. M: Mychael Danna. CAST: Kevin Kline, Sigourney Weaver, Joan Allen, Henry Czerny. MPAA 35015. Rating R = 17. 1,85. 113’. Finnish subtitles by Timo Porri. DIST: Finnkino. Viewed in Helsinki, VET, Tuesday 18 November 1997. ** Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice revisited. It is Thanksgiving 1973 in Connecticut. Human relationships are a mess. The costumes even worse. Nobody laughs happily. I failed to get interested in any of the characters portrayed.