Taking a look at a UK DVD sellers page for gialli titles,I was surprised to spot a (non-Giallo) film by Robert Hossein that I've never heard of before,which led to me getting ready to discover the tipping point.
View on the film:
Opening in black and white,co-writer/(along with Claude Desailly/André & Georges Tabet) co-star/director Robert Hossein & cinematographer Daniel Diot link the Film Noir of the past with the Neo-Noir of the present,by making Le Caïd's search at the crime scene be one that is filled with long coats and hidden hideaways,which are sharply contrasted with the grime Neo-Noir world that Vlad and Jeune fille are stuck in.
Surrounding the cabin in miles of sand which the darkness sinks into,Hossein and Diot make the cabin match Vlad's mindset,as the rotting,decayed Neo-Noir wood allows Fille to bring some light into the shadows.
Casting an eye across the fading landscape,Hossein displays an impeccable skill in finding beauty within the darkness. Backed by a whistling score from his dad André,Hossein burns everything down to its barest,most stark elements,with beautifully held wide shots making Vlad and Fille look like Neo-Noir loners trapped in the wilderness.
Stepping away from exposition,the screenplay by Desailly/Hossein & the Tabet's takes a measured approach in exploring the complex Stockholm syndrome at play between Vlad and Fille,with the crackling sounds of a radio putting them in a game of power.
Sending Vlad's fellow gangsters in,the writers cast an air of impending darkness over the movie,due to the brittle, minimalist dialogue striking a fine balance between expressing Vlad's new feelings for fille,and the hard-nose Neo-Noir fury entering from the outside world.
Book-ending the title,Hossein gives a good performance as police officer Caïd,whose shadow looms over the Neo- Noir events breaking out in the cabin. Left on his own with the hostage, Johnny Hallyday gives a great performance as Vlad,whose no nonsense outlook is sown with seeds of doubt as Vlad desperately tries to stop Fille from running away. Given just a handful of lines,the elegant,debuting Pascale Rivault superbly reveals the Stockholm syndrome that Fille is held in,thanks to Rivault using a subtle change in body language to unlock Fille overlapping fury and love for Vlad,as they both hit their falling point.
View on the film:
Opening in black and white,co-writer/(along with Claude Desailly/André & Georges Tabet) co-star/director Robert Hossein & cinematographer Daniel Diot link the Film Noir of the past with the Neo-Noir of the present,by making Le Caïd's search at the crime scene be one that is filled with long coats and hidden hideaways,which are sharply contrasted with the grime Neo-Noir world that Vlad and Jeune fille are stuck in.
Surrounding the cabin in miles of sand which the darkness sinks into,Hossein and Diot make the cabin match Vlad's mindset,as the rotting,decayed Neo-Noir wood allows Fille to bring some light into the shadows.
Casting an eye across the fading landscape,Hossein displays an impeccable skill in finding beauty within the darkness. Backed by a whistling score from his dad André,Hossein burns everything down to its barest,most stark elements,with beautifully held wide shots making Vlad and Fille look like Neo-Noir loners trapped in the wilderness.
Stepping away from exposition,the screenplay by Desailly/Hossein & the Tabet's takes a measured approach in exploring the complex Stockholm syndrome at play between Vlad and Fille,with the crackling sounds of a radio putting them in a game of power.
Sending Vlad's fellow gangsters in,the writers cast an air of impending darkness over the movie,due to the brittle, minimalist dialogue striking a fine balance between expressing Vlad's new feelings for fille,and the hard-nose Neo-Noir fury entering from the outside world.
Book-ending the title,Hossein gives a good performance as police officer Caïd,whose shadow looms over the Neo- Noir events breaking out in the cabin. Left on his own with the hostage, Johnny Hallyday gives a great performance as Vlad,whose no nonsense outlook is sown with seeds of doubt as Vlad desperately tries to stop Fille from running away. Given just a handful of lines,the elegant,debuting Pascale Rivault superbly reveals the Stockholm syndrome that Fille is held in,thanks to Rivault using a subtle change in body language to unlock Fille overlapping fury and love for Vlad,as they both hit their falling point.
