What's so remarkable about Abel Ferrara, at his best, is that his films scarcely feel like fiction. This is a director whose works are commonly steeped in drug use, immense self-debasement, and exploding, deeply confrontational personal drama. Just as the line emphatically blurs in 'Dangerous game' between the story and the story within a story, one can't help but wonder how much of Ferrara himself, and his frequent collaborators, are instilled into the characters. The narrative herein is a jumble of what is "real" and what is not, and appropriately, the words best used to describe the approach to communicating it are a little contradictory. On the one hand the picture is surprisingly direct and unembellished, launching swiftly into the plot and letting the tale speak for itself without any hooks, twists, or devices, or even substantial use of music. At the same time it comes across as very open, and loose - as we watch the progression of a filmmaker and his actors losing themselves in the movie they're making, and the mirror it holds up to their own lives, anything could happen, no matter how gnarly or devastating, and it would feel organic and fluid. There's a daring, harsh, stark realism coursing through 'Dangerous game' that's wonderfully gripping - this is fantastic!
While it's not the focus, there's delicious flavoring of psychological drama in the feature as turmoil within and between the principal characters grows in tandem with the difficulties of and in the movie being produced. With that said, as brilliant and vibrant as Nicholas St. John's screenplay is, bursting with ugly life, the cast is almost more important than the writing of a concrete narrative. James Russo has a long list of credits to his name, but I've never seen him give a performance as violently jarring, believable, and downright excellent as his portrayal of Frank. Madonna has enjoyed a rather incredible acting career, appearing in some very noteworthy titles and rightfully earning nominations and awards with the tremendous range and poise she demonstrates, but the role of Sarah opens channels that feel like an entirely different side of her. And Keitel, bless him, is a veritable pillar of Ferrara's pictures. As much as he has tended to take on seedy, dubious roles in one place or another, Eddie is a cold, swirling mess, and Keitel embodies the character with marvelous nuance and presence. Critically, wrapping all this together, Ferrara's direction is superb. As intense as the conflicts already are among the characters and in themselves, the arrangement of every shot and scene feels fiercely personal and adversarial, as though the capturing of these moments in front of us is a belligerent drunk getting in our face. This is echoed in the fundamental camerawork, dynamic and freely moving; where the image does sit still, the moment is all the more impactful for it. Hats off to Ken Kelsch for outstanding cinematography!
Every element of the production seems geared toward making 'Dangerous game' feel as filthily upfront and pointedly present as it could be, and the effort paid off handsomely. Costume design, hair and makeup work, lighting, effects, and set design and decoration all feed into the acrid miasma in which the saga and its characters are steeped. Cast, crew, and filmmakers all - the work poured into this is stupendous. The result is a feature that's inescapably absorbing, evoking indistinct but unmistakable emotions in reaction to the tawdry tableau before us. Between Russo, Madonna, and Keitel alone this is worth watching, let alone Ferrara or St. John, or anyone else. I hoped to enjoy this (though not all of the director's movies are equal), but still my best expectations have been far surpassed. I'm roundly impressed, and I think this may be my favorite of the director's films to date. One should note a content warning for considerable nudity, sex, violence, and drug use, but provided this are no obstacle, I think 'Dangerous game' is a great movie that's well worth seeking out.
While it's not the focus, there's delicious flavoring of psychological drama in the feature as turmoil within and between the principal characters grows in tandem with the difficulties of and in the movie being produced. With that said, as brilliant and vibrant as Nicholas St. John's screenplay is, bursting with ugly life, the cast is almost more important than the writing of a concrete narrative. James Russo has a long list of credits to his name, but I've never seen him give a performance as violently jarring, believable, and downright excellent as his portrayal of Frank. Madonna has enjoyed a rather incredible acting career, appearing in some very noteworthy titles and rightfully earning nominations and awards with the tremendous range and poise she demonstrates, but the role of Sarah opens channels that feel like an entirely different side of her. And Keitel, bless him, is a veritable pillar of Ferrara's pictures. As much as he has tended to take on seedy, dubious roles in one place or another, Eddie is a cold, swirling mess, and Keitel embodies the character with marvelous nuance and presence. Critically, wrapping all this together, Ferrara's direction is superb. As intense as the conflicts already are among the characters and in themselves, the arrangement of every shot and scene feels fiercely personal and adversarial, as though the capturing of these moments in front of us is a belligerent drunk getting in our face. This is echoed in the fundamental camerawork, dynamic and freely moving; where the image does sit still, the moment is all the more impactful for it. Hats off to Ken Kelsch for outstanding cinematography!
Every element of the production seems geared toward making 'Dangerous game' feel as filthily upfront and pointedly present as it could be, and the effort paid off handsomely. Costume design, hair and makeup work, lighting, effects, and set design and decoration all feed into the acrid miasma in which the saga and its characters are steeped. Cast, crew, and filmmakers all - the work poured into this is stupendous. The result is a feature that's inescapably absorbing, evoking indistinct but unmistakable emotions in reaction to the tawdry tableau before us. Between Russo, Madonna, and Keitel alone this is worth watching, let alone Ferrara or St. John, or anyone else. I hoped to enjoy this (though not all of the director's movies are equal), but still my best expectations have been far surpassed. I'm roundly impressed, and I think this may be my favorite of the director's films to date. One should note a content warning for considerable nudity, sex, violence, and drug use, but provided this are no obstacle, I think 'Dangerous game' is a great movie that's well worth seeking out.