Christopher SoallNo Reservations
January 1st 2009 13:39
Once I saw a brilliant German film called Mostly Martha. I think that was the title anyway. It was a very fascinating emotional journey which was masterfully woven together. It is all about a rather obsessive compulsive Chef whose sense of control over her life is wound up in her control over her cooking and her kitchen. The tragic loss of her sister upsets the fragile balance of her world as she is left with the responsibility of getting to know and caring for her sisters little girl. She is not good with Children. She is stiff and cold and deals with her emotions and frustrations by hiding in the restaurants Fridge whenever the stress gets all too much. Her sisters child is silent and won't eat suffering with the grief of losing her mother. This makes the situation even harder as food is the only medium through which her aunt feels confidant to communicate. The entrance of another Chef further shatters her sense of security control and power in her life. I was really impressed with this film when I first saw it. The main characters emotional developement and the developement of the characters relationships was so natural and believable and artistically orchestrated.
Tonight I saw the hollywood version. One of my favourite actors is Catherine Zeta Jones, yet still I was dreading watching this as I knew I had the original in my head and I felt antagonised by the fact that the americans can't just admire another country's movie they have to make an american version. Like the ideas are good but the american audience needs it be interpreted or something (Other examples... Three men and a baby is an american version of a french comedy. More recently the hideous american version of Kath and Kim. I just don't understand the point of remaking something else in another country when it only makes sense in its own context - I'm thinking of the awful australian version of top gear and the equally cringe worthy version ofso you think you can dance here and thus straying way off topic)
Anyway I was dreading it as I wanted to like it because Catherine Zeta Jones was in it but I had "Reservations". On the whole it was a good film. If I hadn't seen the original I would have taken it as pleasant and perhaps even gone beyond that to say enjoyable and left it at that. But having seen both and being able to compare I saw a really clear example of the difference between hollywood cinema foreign artish films. Something of the soul the intensity and the naturalness was removed. It was less believable. Catherine Zeta Jones did a good job but she really didn't pull of the harsh awkward side of the character when first getting to know her niece. Thus there wasn't really a sense of a developement of a relationship between them. There was too quickly already a comfortable raport which when it was challenged seemed only an acted challenge. You didn't feel any real sense of discomfort between her character and the niece. I felt that alot of the character of the original was lost. It just wasn't real and effecting enough. I think the German one felt more like life whereas american films always feel like stylised life.
I reccommend both all the same. Though I couldn't tell what the best order is to watch them in. Perhaps leave plenty of space between to forget or try and see them as completely seperate as comparing versions of things always takes something away from both.
Tonight I saw the hollywood version. One of my favourite actors is Catherine Zeta Jones, yet still I was dreading watching this as I knew I had the original in my head and I felt antagonised by the fact that the americans can't just admire another country's movie they have to make an american version. Like the ideas are good but the american audience needs it be interpreted or something (Other examples... Three men and a baby is an american version of a french comedy. More recently the hideous american version of Kath and Kim. I just don't understand the point of remaking something else in another country when it only makes sense in its own context - I'm thinking of the awful australian version of top gear and the equally cringe worthy version ofso you think you can dance here and thus straying way off topic)
Anyway I was dreading it as I wanted to like it because Catherine Zeta Jones was in it but I had "Reservations". On the whole it was a good film. If I hadn't seen the original I would have taken it as pleasant and perhaps even gone beyond that to say enjoyable and left it at that. But having seen both and being able to compare I saw a really clear example of the difference between hollywood cinema foreign artish films. Something of the soul the intensity and the naturalness was removed. It was less believable. Catherine Zeta Jones did a good job but she really didn't pull of the harsh awkward side of the character when first getting to know her niece. Thus there wasn't really a sense of a developement of a relationship between them. There was too quickly already a comfortable raport which when it was challenged seemed only an acted challenge. You didn't feel any real sense of discomfort between her character and the niece. I felt that alot of the character of the original was lost. It just wasn't real and effecting enough. I think the German one felt more like life whereas american films always feel like stylised life.
I reccommend both all the same. Though I couldn't tell what the best order is to watch them in. Perhaps leave plenty of space between to forget or try and see them as completely seperate as comparing versions of things always takes something away from both.
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