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Moromete Family: On the Edge of Time (2018)
Something old, something new...
Having seen the original film back in the '80s and having read the books it is based on, I had a pleasant surprise watching this film yesterday. Not only does Stere Gulea manage to reestablish the former atmosphere (the beautiful black and white cinematography has something of the old Romanian film school, but also the newer influences of slow panning and panoramic shots), but he also brings in the disquietude of the mid-40's (very well depicted in the books as well as in the memory of my older family members who witnessed it first-hand), the confusion, the insecurity, the brutality of a new regime that demanded obeisance in rough terms - luckily, keeping in line with the former film, physical violence is almost absent or only generally hinted at in the course of the film. The characters have aged and, although I myself along with others, would have wished the former protagonists to be played by the same actors (some of which are still alive), now I see why the director chose other people for the present film. There are quite a few epic threads, the main one following young Niculae's struggle to graduate and find a job as a teacher, then switching to journalism and fiction writing - at this point, the director chose to intermingle the character and the narrator, using fragments from Marin Preda's autobiography "Viata ca o prada" ("Life as a Prey"); the other, old Ilie Moromete's struggle to understand and cope with the new order of things. One critic reviewer stated that "Moromete is a representative of those willing to surrender without a fight", an assertion that I find untrue and showing the inattention of the aforementioned reviewer. Quite the contrary, Moromete not only fights (his strategy, apparently strange, coming out in the end and reminding me of an old Oriental tale called "Kismet"), but also understands that, having no place in the new world, his extinction is only natural. Everything happens very fast, some crucial sequences pass by unemphasized, some other barely hinted at, more for the pleasure of literature connoiseurs, than for first-time viewers. I did enjoy watching, but I doubt the young audience found the undertones as alluring as I did. My advice for them is to read both volumes of "Morometii" ("The Moromete Family") as well as "Viata ca o prada" and to watch the original "Morometii" before watching the new film.
La limita de jos a cerului (2013)
Evolution or Otherwise?
I would like to begin this review by stating that I am no fan of Romanian "new cinema" (a.k.a. "films of squalor and despair", as one of my colleagues so neatly nailed them), so my review may be biased.
Igor Cobileanski is well-known to the Romanian public, first for his absolutely brilliant humorous shorts, available on YouTube, then for his witty comedy "Tache, the Old Grave Digger", which I wrote a review of. It was a question of "when", not of "if" he joins the mainstream of today's Romanian film, which sadly breaks off with a glorious and brilliant tradition in search of pleasing Western audiences.
His new film "The Unsaved" (or, literally translated from Romanian "The Sky's Lower Border") is precisely this: an attempt to join the rest of Romanian young directors. His efforts were backed up by fellow director and screen writer Corneliu Porumboiu (who, I suspect, is responsible for the too often naming of human genitals throughout the film), and this is felt in the agonizingly slow pace and the deliberately plain dialogue. Fortunately, Mr. Cobileanski manages to slip in a few lines of sarcastic humour and adds to the depth and substance of characters, as well as to the authenticity of the atmosphere. For me, it's a haunting re-creation of the 80's, only translated into neighbouring Moldova, with signs and firms written half in Romanian/Moldavian, half in Russian, and Russian-made cars (plus a few lines of dialogue spoken in Russian, supposedly with a Russian mafia guy).
The main character, Viorel (whose very name suggests innocence) is not so much a "Sancho Panza" as an odd mixture of naiveté and violence, of good intentions and bad influence (typically what Americans would call a "schmuck"). The actor Igor Babiac, who I suspect is well-known in Moldova, is very credible in this role, despite pretending he is 19, when in fact he looks 30. A very pleasant surprise is his supporting actor, Sergiu Voloc, who manages to play the unrepentant villain so well that he actually steals the scene a few times (and that comes after having watched his portrayal of an idiot-turned-inspired village policeman in one of Mr. Cobileanski's first shorts - "Inspiration"). Ela Ionescu is excellent as a slut with no sex-appeal, who only accepts Viorel because she feels sorry for him, and who sleeps with the local chief of police in order to get her boyfriend out of prison. The idea that "weed" can be delivered into the post-box without anyone suspecting it is quite surprising and, frankly, not credible (although, perhaps the police are also part of the whole scheme). The rest of the supporting actors are playing very well, notably Viorel's mother, who has a hard time keeping a no-good son as a single parent; the chief of police, who is actually benevolent and wants to help Viorel out of an idle and drifting life; a little gem of a role is the chef at the local canteen, Viorel's boss (who I pleasantly remember as a village mayor in the same short I mentioned before).
In conclusion, the film is definitely worth seeing, especially for those interested in Mr. Cobileanski's progress (or is it?). But please, please, Mr. Cobileanski, find your own voice and do not howl in unison with a bunch of wannabes!
Gioconda fara surîs (1968)
An early masterpiece
For those who are familiar with a few of Malvina Ursianu's films, "Gioconda fara suris" ("Gioconda without a Smile") is already heralding some of her cherished motifs: the love triangle, consisting of two good friends and a woman they both love; re-living past memories and analyzing them critically; the meaning of success and failure; the shifting positions of force and weakness.
Of course, this first film is a bit untoward, some lines are abrupt, some cuts between scenes too steep, some attitudes too rigid, but all the magic is there. Some people may reproach it some clichés of the time (the conquests of victorious socialism, the importance of new technological discoveries made by Romanian engineers; the well-deserved dissolution of a degenerate bourgeoisie), but those are just the background of the very credible story. The cinematography is beautiful (there is one wide shot of factory chimneys covered in lights against the morning sky which impressed me in particular), the music is well-chosen, even if not as refined as in "Trecatoarele iubiri" ("Transient Affairs"), for example.
The actors' performances are remarkable, especially that of Ion Marinescu (playing the poet Caius), who, later on, unfortunately specialized in bad guys and rogues - here, he displays an almost sickly sensitivity he keeps hiding behind arrogance and malice, managing to get a very good balance between them. Silvia Popovici (playing the engineer Irina) is a bit stiff, even after the script would allow her to give up her pretense of independence and self-assuredness, but she manages to be very convincing in the final scenes, letting the emotions take over and making up for all the rest. Gheoghe Cozorici (playing the engineer Cosma) is well-cast as a common-sense, unassuming middle-aged man, a family man and a successful engineer, performing with his usual ease and naturalness. The rest of the cast find their way in between, with the notable performances of Lucia Muresan (playing the doctor Ioana), another strong woman who wants to protect the poor poet from himself, and Maria Cumbari (playing the student Rita), who clumsily tries to seduce Caius, but quickly realizes he is not what she wants (perhaphs showing more sense than the two mature women).
All in all, if you're interested in Malvina Ursianu and want to see a well-done film of the '60s, I believe it still has a lot to tell us today.
Drum în penumbra (1972)
Finest blend between romance and realism
After having recently seen "Un amour de pluie" I came back to watching one of my old-times favourites, "Drum in penumbra" ("Path in the Shadow"), and I was not only pleasantly surprised with the favourable comparison, but also with details about it that I had forgotten. Like "Un amour de pluie", it describes a holiday romance, but this is the only resemblance. The characters have a care-free time at the sea-side, talking openly to each other and revealing their innermost feelings, but, at least as far as Monica (Margareta Pogonat) is concerned, not intending to go any further. Radu (Cornel Coman), however, is a stubborn and inquisitive character, who wishes to delve deeper than that. After coming back from holiday, Radu keeps trying to find her and, he is introduced to her family and tries to round up her picture. It's absolutely amazing how the pace of the film and the actor's lines are combined to show these: Monica's two children (she married young and is divorcing her husband after 16 years of terrible marriage), who are growing up and need her less and less, and her old friend, who keeps pestering her into the relationship; but, on the other side, her conservative mother who keeps reminding her of her duty towards her children and that she should drop the divorce.
It would have been all too easy to allow the two to make a compromise and live happily ever after, but life is not a Hollywood film director. Monica and Radu clash several times, mainly because of their different views, and Monica understands that the only thing that they have in common is love, and that cannot endure in the face of everyday life demands. In the last scene, superbly played, she tells Radu it's time to end it and go their separate ways. That is not at all easy for her, her mother having just died, but it's beyond her to do what she feels it's not right.
All this said, the only observation I wish to make is that here, in this film, unlike any other romance that I've seen, the sense of right and just are so pervasive, that they manage to go along the usually simple love story. It's not meant to spice it up, but give it a "spine" (like Sidney Pollack says) and uphold it.
So, even if you're just interested in hearing a well-spoken language (the actor's diction as well as their grammar are impeccable), a good sound-track, beautiful images of sea and rain, or realistic shots of Bucharest in the late '60s, this film is for you.
Tache (2007)
Nice feature-film debut for Cobileanski
For those who don't know, Igor Cobileanski is the director of several absolutely brilliant humorous shorts (you can see them on YouTube). After having watched them, I decided I wanted to know more about his work, so I watched "Tache, the Old Gravedigger". While it lacks the concision of his shorts, as well as their continuous string of puns and funny situations, the film has a good flow, with a gradually unraveling plot, and quite a few unexpected turns. Mircea Diaconu (Tache), one of the leading comedy actors of Romania, meets here his ex-partner from "Filantropica" (Nae Caranfil's epoch-making film), Mara Nicolescu (Geta), who also managed to write an apparently simple, but in reality quite elaborate script - another well-made, although rather over-looked debut. Together with Constantin Draganescu (playing Tache's life-long friend, Bobicescu "Bobi"), who is excellent in his sly role of womanizer and extortionist, make up a trio that upholds the film throughout. Of course, there's a good contribution from Gabriel Spataru (playing the prosperous undertaker Pafalau) as well as from Gabriel Spahiu (Geta's allegedly impotent husband Nestor) who add to the colorful atmosphere of the film.
As the previous reviewer said, the film succeeds in being a very good-taste comedy, on the side of irony and the grotesque, not of the macabre, and this a very pleasant surprise, since the subject could have easily afforded it. All in all, it's a good film, but knowing Cobileanski, I know he can do better, and I hope he soon will. The cast and crew are well-chosen (and I don't think it's a chance that the crew is almost the same as Nae Caranfil's), so they should keep up the good work and bring us something to rival "Inspiration" and "When the Lights Go Out".
Adela (1985)
A Beautiful Romance
I know it sounds simple, but the word fully describes the film: it is simply beautiful. Not only the scenery, the cinematography, or the script, but also the masterful hand of Mircea Veroiu using all these to create not only a credible "fin de siecle" atmosphere, but also a heart-warming film I always like returning to.
The previous reviewer (Vincentiu) made a thorough analysis of the film, so I need not go over what he said in such an accurate way. What I want to convey here is my own impression, which is, of course, subjective.
The film has a very delicate story, and the characters (the best-portrayed are Emil Codrescu and Duliu Dragan, of course - the women are rather reflections of their own thoughts) belong to a forgotten race of men who inhabited the world over 100 years ago. Phylosopher-hunters, who took part in a war, built a nation, but who never lost their ability to think, and still are capable to indulge either in dreaming or in more profane adventures (the scene where Duliu and Emil entertain two second-rate actresses is very well made). So neither of them is desperate, nor neurotic, they are simply melancholic, looking serenely at time passing by. And completely in line with this theme of "fugit irreparabile tempus" is the beautiful scene of clock repairing.
Another major theme is happiness. Obviously, none of the characters has it, and all of them dream of it. Mrs Muresanu runs away with Duliu Dragan in a desperate attempt to breach the walls of responsibility imposed on her by her statute as a widow and head of a house she is not able to rule. Adela plays with Emil, waiting for him to confess his love, but is afraid of commitment after her recent marriage ended in a divorce. Emil himself seems to revisit his past only to remind himself of the amount of time gone by, and finally resolves to run away, after giving Adela some explanations that seem so remotely connected to his feelings, that we are left to guess the place of this scene in the film's plan.
Emil's leaving in the end, although predictable, is quite an enigma. Why did he do this? Did he want to run away from temptation? He is not a weak man, and not a coward - his war stories prove us that he has never been one. Does he want to leave the memories behind and delve in some new activity? He is a man for whom the past matters a lot - his collection of photographs, his books are memories he keeps taking with him. Does he want to spear Adela the misfortune of returning his love? He is a generous spirit, but he hardly seems interested in what happens around him, making us rather think that Adela is just another memory he wants to preserve intact.
So, if you're looking for a film that takes you through a dreamy atmosphere and leaves you deep in thought, try to catch it on TV, because it's hardly likely that it is ever released on DVD.
(P.S. and correction: it has been released on DVD, and I bought both copies I could get my hands on, don't miss the chance if you see it!)
Mere rosii (1975)
Interesting experiment
I've seen this film a few times, and I was pleasantly surprised each time by Mircea Diaconu's acting. He plays a young urologist who is assigned to a town hospital with no urology ward, and who keeps bumping into his superiors because of both ethical and medical problems. For those who know the medical system in Romania, it's an acid pamphlet against destruction of young talents as well as a stand against the never-ending corruption plaguing the noblest of professions. It must have been a brave thing to film, not to mention show such a film during the early '80s. The only problem with it is that the story line is not always firm and straight (probably because of concessions the director had to make) - for example, the half-romance between the doctor and the young psychologist. All in all I advise you not to change the channel when it's shown on TV.
Dincolo de nisipuri (1974)
In defense of 'Beyond the Sands'
I have to take a stand against the other comment I profoundly disliked. Yes, the film is bleak, and yes, it depicts the life of two criminals, father and son, who don't even know the ways of the world, but that makes it tragic, not cheap or vulgar. In fact, cinematography is extremely well-done - only to mention two of my favourite scenes: driving in a sleigh under the barren trees in winter and the reaping of hay in the face of a storm. It is true that 'like his father's life before him, his life had no meaning' (I believe the quote to be exact), but the wanderings of the main character in search of his father's murderer in order to exact revenge is a twisted and strange story, with love in the way which he abandons, with great opportunities he lets go of only to fulfill his obsession. Of course, the characters are the lowest of low-lifes, they leave a miserable life as thieves, smugglers, prostitutes, occasionally even murderers, but then, again, life may be like that and people may live (or choose to live) like that. And that can be (and, in this case, really is) art.
Trecatoarele iubiri (1974)
Best romance
I must admit I found it quite odd in the beginning - the dialogue seems awkward, rather theatrical, and the actors seemed to move clumsily around the camera (or vice versa). But the final impression is that of genuine quality romance, a simple and noble story well told, no unnecessary words or scenes, everything falling into place, like the pieces in a puzzle, all of them glued together by the director's sensitivity and insight - actually, all of Malvina Ursianu's films that I've seen (unfortunately, there aren't many of them) made a strong impression on me. The story, as I said, is a simple one: Andrei (played by George Motoi), an architect, returns from Germany to Romania (at a time when emigration was strongly discouraged by the Romanian state) with his half-German wife Hanna (played by Gina Patrichi) on a business trip, to find his ex-love Lena (played by Silvia Popovici) married to his ex-best friend Costea (played by Cornel Coman). As they meet, Andrei realizes he still loves Lena and cares for Costea, even if the latter thinks his coming back is an intrusion upon their lives ("I thought all my friends have died./Your friends, maybe. The rest of us get along fine.") - his marriage with Lena doesn't seem to go anywhere, they're both architects and both have a busy schedule, so they're more like companions than a couple. What no one suspects is that Andrei has come home to die - he is suffering from lung cancer and it won't take long (as he comes back to his native place, he finds the old house deserted and the whole village moved on the mountain-side in order to build a dam - the scene is breath-taking, and the exquisite music has an important part in it - you get the feeling of emptiness that somehow suggests what is going to happen). Although he has longed for Lena - without knowing it - it is now clear to him he must let her go. In fact, he must let go of everything, and he lets his wife go back without him ("You're not the kind of person who needs anyone's support."), soon before writing a superb farewell letter to Lena ("But never mind. As we grow old, we'll remember these things less and less, until our grandchildren will look on them as mere atavisms."). I don't want (and I can't) to disclose any further details, the golden autumn atmosphere, the sense of a quiet, peaceful end, the sub-plots and the symbolical characters appearing along - you'll have to wait for some time to watch it on a Romanian channel (as far as I know, there's no DVD copy of it).
François Villon - Poetul vagabond (1987)
One of the best period pieces
To those who haven't seen it (yet), I can only compare Nicolaescu's "Francois Villon" with Bergman's "Seventh Seal" - the same depth of vision, heavy, religion-impregnated atmosphere, the sense of "vanity fair". And yet, there's something more to "Francois Villon" - the typical medieval sarcasm, laughter in the face of Death - actually it's exactly the way the film begins, the newly-graduate students of Sorbonne celebrate their success by stealing house firms and putting them around the necks of the hanged at Montfaucon (a good opportunity for Villon to recite the famous "Ballad of the hanged" - actually, Florent Pagny is quite good at it, but he's only good until the seasoned Romanian actors enter the scene). Throughout the film there is misery and grandeur (when the poet arrives at Blois and takes part in a contest with his "Ballad of adverse truths", then meets a chess player who is tired of winning and keeps hoping to find at a crossroad "the one who shall give me back my soul - God!" - quite a starting coincidence with Bergman's Knight playing chess with Death, don't you think?), irony and ferocity (like when Villon is imprisoned at Thybault d'Aussigny's castle, and the bishop - masterfully played by Silviu Stanculescu, one of the best Romanian actors - wants to turn him into "God's poet", and keeps plaguing him "Francois, have you been thinking? Have you given it good thought?" while holding him in a dungeon to live on only bread and water, till one day, the exasperated poet cries "I want to die!"; not to mention a grand moment when the King of the Poor - played by another Romanian great, Ion Marinescu - says "I know my place lord, that is in hell, next to you, but what about this man? Is he yours or the other one's?"). In short, the film has everything a period piece needs to impress and imprint into memory. I can only hope that some day soon, Mr. Nicolaescu finds it proper to put it on DVD (as he has done with several of his other films). And now "God save you, and be with us!" as one soldier says.