I managed to obtain the Blu-Ray disc for Wonderwall, and made a point of seeing both the theatrical release and the director's cut. I had seen the movie some time ago, and liked it very much. It made me a fan of Jack MacGowran.
And for good reason.
During this time period, he seemed to be playing a lot of eccentric characters, from the two Roman Polanski films he made to "The Winged Avenger" episode of The Avengers. That last role seems to have a sort of connection, which I will explain in a bit.
The movie concerns an eccentric professor who leads a drab, lonely life, a life that gets upended when a fashion model, played by Jane Birkin, moves in. What we seem to get after that are vignettes that seem to get played out in the professor's mind. Some might think it was drug imagery, but it struck me as something pertaining to the fantasies and desires the protagonist has.
This obsession seems to get the better of him, as he misses work in order to spy on his neighbor. It leads to him wearing formal wear, a cape and a top hat (somewhat like his character in The Avengers), dropping in on the model who, by this time, has decided to end her life. Instead of taking a creepy turn, he instead rushes to save her life, and becomes a hero.
The movie's ending is really poignant in 2023, since Ms. Birkin recently passed away. It is very much a period piece, since it was likely filmed in the latter part of 1967, but it is extremely entertaining in its own right. Both Mr. MacGowran and Ms. Birkin lead what is an excellent cast. It's well worth the watch.
And for good reason.
During this time period, he seemed to be playing a lot of eccentric characters, from the two Roman Polanski films he made to "The Winged Avenger" episode of The Avengers. That last role seems to have a sort of connection, which I will explain in a bit.
The movie concerns an eccentric professor who leads a drab, lonely life, a life that gets upended when a fashion model, played by Jane Birkin, moves in. What we seem to get after that are vignettes that seem to get played out in the professor's mind. Some might think it was drug imagery, but it struck me as something pertaining to the fantasies and desires the protagonist has.
This obsession seems to get the better of him, as he misses work in order to spy on his neighbor. It leads to him wearing formal wear, a cape and a top hat (somewhat like his character in The Avengers), dropping in on the model who, by this time, has decided to end her life. Instead of taking a creepy turn, he instead rushes to save her life, and becomes a hero.
The movie's ending is really poignant in 2023, since Ms. Birkin recently passed away. It is very much a period piece, since it was likely filmed in the latter part of 1967, but it is extremely entertaining in its own right. Both Mr. MacGowran and Ms. Birkin lead what is an excellent cast. It's well worth the watch.