' r-.'.'.'.. ’ 1': '. ' v': . ‘ 3'.» a." _" "n " ._ "‘ “2.? ‘2" \‘ w .n‘tx {\\\t;\; r\ 1.. ' ’. " . ‘\' )‘Uv' ‘t‘ "" ’f‘i-H 3.4M "‘ 9‘ " '\'\,\ t i\' WM,” ithf
(15) 113mm coo H . ,,, .1, . .. .. . . N (.4, ... W,
, . ‘. 2 ._. I y .I' i o. iy,,v!,. ‘ii‘,.\_, , ' ,if‘v).l
[\',y‘ \vvvii:\~. 9. ..~;.‘ _. in”. \.i
... i q a f.. '_ ...\,,; L.’ L} HM “Hui. I "1.,
u‘ i. l ' i 1 ‘ 1" t‘ \\r.'.'.l . 2.1
THE BIG BLUE
Luc Besson talks to Kaleem Aftab about movies, mania, moodiness and Minimoys.
"lx.‘:l‘{' rll‘l‘ll :' 1' 2»~1‘ H
‘. 0 0' \' AI "/£,.i ivx‘ii,.v':,.,v'xt..t‘l .:,.(\1\ l,\”
__l. t' i (t-'.'). t .. ‘L H 1.. \IKl \1',:.wlx‘.'. "'
,.v‘,.i \,.’ i :,,\1 ’1‘.‘ \i flu. whwx‘ ‘r\|'r\(\ yr”... x.:-\
Ten. Luc Besson’s insistence 1+“ l “'1’” A‘>‘~“v'*“ l" W T' 1‘ K m i. kw W 1‘ man. ,f\ \f \i M," 'I'1i1,.' \ ‘
that he will direct only ten films is his great albatross. With a CV boasting Subway, Leon and Nikita there is a heightened expectation that every film will be something special. His latest, Angel-A is his first film since 1999’s Joan of Arc. In the intervening period the 47 year-old has written or produced more than 50 movies, becoming a one-man cottage industry in the process.
More important, in terms of its impact on Angel-A, he also got over his divorce from Joan of Arc starlet Mila Jovovich and married Virginie Silla with whom he has three daughters.
Angel-A, a tale of suicidal criminals is something Besson first started to write a decade ago. The Parisian argues that he wanted it to be one of his ten, ‘because I was concerned by the story. I was concerned because I have the same problem of this guy for a long time. I see so many people who lie to themselves; now it’s painful for me, when I see them I want to hold them. Don’t be ashamed, you’re a man, chill out. And also it is important not to forget why you are making films. It is a small film in black and white, French, one girl, one guy and lots of dialogue, which is, basically, for lots of people, unsaleable, but I don’t care.’
His claims to have found inner peace are slightly undermined by his hatred of being photographed. He says he hates that still photographic images often fail to capture inner emotions. Besson is curious about how different generations see his work and has found that the younger teenage audiences who don’t know his earlier films are far more enamoured by Angel-A.
Fans won’t have to wait so long for his next film, an animated adaptation of his own novel, Arthur and the Minimoys. featuring the voices of David Bowie, Madonna and Snoop Dogg. Ten is getting ever closer.
I Angel-A is at Fl/thUSQ. Edinburgh from Fn 28 Jul. See review, page 47.
46 THE LIST '30 Jul 3 Aug 2006
|l)l‘}lll()"llll', utylluml Alpihilhfl‘ 3' :7' i in l win") “HAHN”. l)(:‘.‘.’ ‘rliihlmll,’ ,(uw 33",“ \ v 2. ((1.. TlU-i-W'mi il“l‘.()l! lM‘ LI: Nil .1 lll‘llll" li ll‘rlt V.” ‘1‘
l"‘.l(',i(l ()f Mqiiqli-(lhwum; (tum fry
‘3' "mm anlk manta (711v Ellarv‘lw-I‘ Luv» 11’ ~: wu- .w‘ I)»
Mira-"H ll)» (Law Iowa ulw .ilm‘
t I .Nv‘.‘ . .‘.‘__‘ -...‘.'- .1. 3‘ . .;:-- “> e \.'__- . r.‘ - - '- ~:’ -~_.
m Ilw [wimlliil m .i(l(ll( I ruli- Hi‘l
ANIMNION CARS (PG) 121 min 000
Feted racecar Lightning McQueen (voiced by Owen Wilson) metaphorically and physically loses his way on Route 66 in yet another hit from Disney stable mate Pixar Animation Studios.
McQueen is the hotshot rookie on the racing circuit and his ability on the track has made him an arrogant celebrity hungry monster. En route to the final race of the season, The Piston Cup Championship in California, Lightning unexpectedly finds himself marooned in the sleepy town of Radiator Springs. It's a town made up of an array of misfit cars, and on first impression they seem to be the weakest collection of characters that Pixar have put together in their two decades of existence. The sheriff of the town is Doc Hudson, 3 grumpy old 1951 Hudson Hornet (acting and racing legend Paul Newman). The pretty thing that catches Lightning‘s eye is a 2002 Porsche called Sally Carrera (Bonnie Hunt). The goofy, affable and trusting goon is a rusty tow truck named Gater (Larry the Cable Guy).
Even though these initial scenes are ponderous there
.r\ “July.
‘»..’)l",.i'lll.".ll. li‘.l‘.1l)(l ll‘w ‘.1o".‘.i" TV
FORTY SHADES OF BLUE
W. (‘2,le ma (1 ....
'..ii .wrl ’ 'iazti-l'.‘.’liw‘ “14‘ w- w'W-H’. 'l~'l‘ l! ‘mi‘luw 7""H‘lv
i!‘ .4):th nil *’ Iii‘;l\rmi l“. f‘».il\..illt Hm k "iii Am
Ilnu l l?) m luv (u
innhm lxilw « himlwr {mw‘i lluH‘.
irimlml .irnl "fti'i‘liill‘
‘.‘.’llli‘l (lw ‘<‘l( ‘l I'.l.(;.l(‘l)‘1ll',’lt‘[)"(ftll
\"c‘
Q
~:. fistv'a-ii tum“.
is still much to admire in the images rendered by Pixar’s super computers. The racing scenes are dazzling, with even the smallest details such as reflections in chrome bumpers and oil on the road painstakingly accurate. Just as in Doc Hollywood and Local Hero, Lightning grows to love the local townsfolk and their eclectic mannerisms. The narrative is developed with a maturity of dramaturgy largely absent in Pixar’s last outing The Incredibles. Also, Pixar have moved on from getting cheap gags referencing pop- culture; now they simply reference themselves, Lightyear tyres being just one of many examples. Director John Lasseter (Toy Story) has instead made a film grained with a far deeper sense of cinematic history. Cars pays homage to cinema that was not so obsessed with stories of the metropolis, that championed the meek over the strong. Like Capra's It’s a Wonderful Life. Lassiter's script champions the community over the individual. Yet, despite the many positives, Cars doesn't quite make the highest grade mainly because it’s the least original Pixar film yet. (Kaleem Aftab)
I General release frOW Fri 98 Jul