baz lurhman | Craig's Movie Report

Viewed – 23 December 2022 Blu-ray

Any movie about the ‘king of rock and roll’ for me is an enticing prospect. He lead a very colourful, demanding and extravagant life. When I heard Baz Lurhman, director of Strictly Ballroom and Romeo & Juliet was taking on the task, I thought… what a great fit. This stars Tom Hanks as Elvis’ long-time manager Colonel Tom Parker, who narrates the story, depicting Elvis’ life from his perspective.

Immediately Lurhman’s overwhelming style is showcased, and it takes some getting used to, with frantic edits, a rush of images & music. However once the movie settles into it’s story, I found myself getting absorbed. I’ve always appreciated Elvis’ music but watching this I discovered how little I really knew about him. Therefore this was an education. Lurhman for the most part sticks closely to the facts, whilst throwing in Colonel Parker’s observations for some artistic license. The movie delves into the prejudice & racial tensions of the 50s & 60s and much of the push back to Elvis’ style and charisma, whilst still showing his vulnerabilities and his personal battles. Austin Butler as Elvis is a revelation, capturing that cheeky sexiness but also delivering both the king’s on stage showmanship and his back stage struggles. He’s really excellent and at times uncanny. Less could be said for Hanks; one of my all time favourite actors who’s performance was a little too ‘caricature’ for my liking.

Overall, I found this a deeply fascinating, powerful and visually arresting portrayal of probably the most iconic musician of all time. This pretty much nails everything; the timeless music, the setting and especially the impact the man had on the world. A must watch.

Verdict: Essential

Viewed – 21 February 2015 online-rental

I didn’t have a clue what to expect from this. I had heard that director Wes Anderson had his own unique style, that it starred one of my favourite actors, Ralph Fiennes and had been widely acclaimed and nominated for several Oscars. So I thought … it has to be worth checking out.

Narrated by an ageing hotel owner recanting his exploits as a bell boy taken under the wing of a charismatic and respected concierge, Mr Gustave (Fiennes) who following a wealthy woman’s mysterious death, comes into possession of a priceless painting and the disdain of her greedy family, headed by a snarling Adrian Brody. So follows a very entertaining ‘caper’ comedy as we follow an unlikely duo through various adventures.

Wes Anderson has presented here a real spectacle of a movie… it’s shot with a style that echoes the avant-garde look of French cinema ala Jean-Pierre Jaunet (Amelie, Delicatessen) mixed with the flourishes of Baz Lurhman (Moulin Rouge) via the technical perfection of Stanley Kubrick to create one of the best looking movies I’ve seen in a long time. It’s also for the most part presented in old-school 4:3 ratio, like that Oscar magnet The Artist and it works very well indeed. There is more character and personality in any five minutes here than most movies have in their entire running time. Also we get a wealth of famous faces all doing their bit in small but enjoyable roles from Edward Norton, Jeff Goldblum and Saoirse Ronan to Bill Murray. Add to this a great villainous turn by Willem Defoe … and this has it all. The story is fun and energetic and held together by a brilliant where-has-he-been Ralph Fiennes as the camp, poetic and lovable Mr Gustave – surely one of the most memorable characters in a while.

I had a great time with this, and it’s made me an instant fan of Wes Anderson – I love directors with such visionary appeal. Essential viewing.

Verdict: 5 /5