"Parc" is based on John Cheever's _Bullett Park_ which I have not read. "Parc" makes me want to track down this work by Cheever, whom I like. The film is quite different from Cheever...more like Chabrol or Hitchcock. Reminiscent of John Cheever's upper class Connecticut, the film's setting is an affluent gated community - probably in the south of France. We follow several different stories, out of sequence, which begin to overlap. It becomes impossible to tell if we are seeing reality or dream sequences. Some of the characters we meet are Sergi Lopez, an affluent member of the wealthy community; his rebellious adolescent son; his attractive wife; a mysterious newcomer who may or may not be a criminal; the newcomer's mother (Geraldine Chaplin) who is spending her elderly years in a fancy mental hospital. Just when you think you may know what is happening in "Parc," there's a cut to another time or place or a different character. Some viewers may find the film unsatisfying for this reason. However, if you like films about the rich and sinister; you should watch "Parc."
Reviews
2 Reviews
Zabriskie Point
(1970)
Time to re-evaluate Zabriskie Point
31 March 2008
Warning: Spoilers
A beautiful new print of "Zabriskie Point" is playing in Paris and seems to be doing well in the Latin Quarter. It's time for a full evaluation of the film. Let's hope that the new print means that a DVD with some insightful "extras" will be out in the near future.
I remember watching ZP when it came out and thought it was a crashing bore. This time around I was totally awed and would classify it as a "near-miss" masterpiece. The first part of the movie is a time capsule of late '60's Los Angeles, I lived there then, and Antonioni did a masterful job of capturing the essence of the place. Kudos to production designer Dean Tavoularis who found some incredible locations and did outstanding work.
The print I saw runs 1 hour 50 minutes. It is forbidden to those under 16 (or 18, I can't remember). I suspect there is quite a bit of restored footage in this print. SPOILER -- I wonder how much of the desert sex scene was originally cut. What appears today seems rather tame by current standards.
There is no soundtrack music until almost 1 hour into the film. Before we hear extraneous noise such as radio broadcasts, etc. Antonioni was very daring to do this. I remember how much was made at the time of the lack of acting skills of non-actors Mark Frechette and Daria Halprin. This time Frechette did not bother me. Halprin is weaker but gradually improves as the film continues.
Much of the student riot footage looks like stock footage to me. One shot is in a different aspect ratio & distorted by the wide screen. Of course, there is actual staged footage, but not all that much.
I'm still trying to figure out how Antonioni did some of the shots of Frechette flying the plane. It looks like he really did some of the flying - there's no blue screen or double in some shots.
I hope to get back to see the film a second time. Recommended highly to all Antonioni fans.
I remember watching ZP when it came out and thought it was a crashing bore. This time around I was totally awed and would classify it as a "near-miss" masterpiece. The first part of the movie is a time capsule of late '60's Los Angeles, I lived there then, and Antonioni did a masterful job of capturing the essence of the place. Kudos to production designer Dean Tavoularis who found some incredible locations and did outstanding work.
The print I saw runs 1 hour 50 minutes. It is forbidden to those under 16 (or 18, I can't remember). I suspect there is quite a bit of restored footage in this print. SPOILER -- I wonder how much of the desert sex scene was originally cut. What appears today seems rather tame by current standards.
There is no soundtrack music until almost 1 hour into the film. Before we hear extraneous noise such as radio broadcasts, etc. Antonioni was very daring to do this. I remember how much was made at the time of the lack of acting skills of non-actors Mark Frechette and Daria Halprin. This time Frechette did not bother me. Halprin is weaker but gradually improves as the film continues.
Much of the student riot footage looks like stock footage to me. One shot is in a different aspect ratio & distorted by the wide screen. Of course, there is actual staged footage, but not all that much.
I'm still trying to figure out how Antonioni did some of the shots of Frechette flying the plane. It looks like he really did some of the flying - there's no blue screen or double in some shots.
I hope to get back to see the film a second time. Recommended highly to all Antonioni fans.
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