olivia_sutton | Entries tagged with peter weir

Catching up on several posts from my Movie Project blog. Yes, even though I've passed my "deadline" I'm continuing the project.
The below post was posted on my Movie blog on 28 Dec 2011.

Title: Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World
Director: Peter Weir
Date: 2003
Studio: 20th Century Fox, Miramax, Universal
Genre: Action, Drama, Historical Epic
Cast: Russell Crowe, Paul Bettany, Billy Boyd
Format: Color, Widescreen
DVD Format: R1, NTSC

"Would you call me an aged man of war, Doctor? The Surprise is not old. She has a bluff bow, lovely lines. She's a fine sea bird, weatherly, stiff and fast. Very fast, if she's well handled. No, she's not old. She's in her prime." -- Captain Jack Aubrey

"This is the second time he's done this to me. There will not be a third." -- Captain Aubrey

"England is under threat of invasion. And though we be on the far side of the world, this ship is England." -- Captain Aubrey

I loved this movie the first time I saw it, and I really do enjoy it every time I re-watch it. Peter Weir is a very talented director, who manages to balance the large scale, such as full-on battles between tall ships during the Napoleonic Wars, and the more intimate story of the unlikely friendship between the ship's doctor, a man of science; and the ship's captain, a life-long Navy man.

Master and Commander is set in 1805, and the HMS Surprise is a man o'war, captained by Jack Aubrey, a hard but fair man, lucky, but also experienced. He's been in the service his entire life. The ship's doctor is Stephen Maturin, - a man of science, and a naturalist. He's close enough friends with Aubrey to be able to challenge him, and speak his mind, especially when talking to Aubrey as his friend, rather than as a member of the crew. The film is based on a series of several novels by Patrick o'Brian, specifically the two that form the film's compound title (the first introduces the characters, the second is the plot of the film, since Weir wanted to do a plot involving a long sea voyage).

The film contains a lot of beautiful historical details (I love the look of the ship, especially when Aubrey stands alone on the top of a mast). However, the film also doesn't shy away from the brutal historical facts of the life of sailors, especially naval sailors in the 19th century. The crew of HMS Surprise is shockingly young, and as the British are at war with France, the young die too. We also see Aubrey order the flogging of a disrespectful sailor, not because he is cruel, but to keep discipline. Life in his majesty's navy is tough, nasty, and often short -- and the film shows you that.

The plot of the film is basically that of a cat and mouse game. A French privateer frigate is harassing British whalers and merchant ships. Aubrey is ordered to find the ship and - "sink, burn, or take her as a prize" as the film's opening printed narration tells the audience. But the frigate vastly outguns the Surprise -- 44 guns to 28, with twice the crew, and the frigate has two decks to the man o'war's single deck. The frigate also seems to be a cross between a ghost, a Flying Dutchman, and Jack's opposite number. In two engagements, the Surprise is caught nearly unaware, and the frigate has the "weather gauge" or the advantage in the engagement. In their final battle, Aubrey turns the tables and is able to successfully surprise the frigate, but at a high cost in lost men.

A secondary plot is the ship's doctor, a naturalist. Because of the damage done to the ship, in both the battles with the frigate and a journey around Cape Horn in a storm, one place Aubrey takes the ship during repairs is the Galapagos -- someplace Stephen would dearly like to explore, to collect and document new species of wildlife. But every time it looks like the ship might head there - the frigate shows up, and Aubrey must fight.

There is also a plot about one of the Midshipmen being cursed as a "Jonah". Basically, he's scapegoated for the ship's run of bad luck. He's the Midshipman whom another sailor disrespects, and gets lashed as a result. The scapegoat plot is one of several examples showing the innate superstition of the sailors. The Midshipman commits suicide, and the ship's luck begins to turn. Though, Dr. Maturin is accidentally shot after the poor lad's death. (Maturin is shot by one of the Royal Marines who's taking pot shots at a following albatross. Obviously, the guy never read "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner"). Aubrey temporarily gives up his chase of the frigate, so Maturin can be brought ashore to remove the bullet and cloth in his stomach. Stephen does the surgery himself, using a mirror, and Aubrey keeps a hand on Maturin's belly to steady him. It's one of the more frightening scenes in the film - not that it's overly gross, but can you imagine operating on yourself? Even if it's the only way to survive? Yikes!

The final battle is total chaos, then silence, then more chaos. Aubrey looks fine, and in his element as he boards the enemy vessel. Billy Boyd is also quite good in the scene! For the most part, he's seen alot but doesn't get many lines, but it is nice to see him again. Russell Crowe and Paul Bettany are perfectly cast, and have a great rapport with each other. The rest of the crew of the HMS Surprise slowly move from faces to having personalities.

One thing both Aubrey and Maturin share is a love of music. Aubrey plays violin and Maturin the cello; and there duets in the captain's cabin are some of the best moments in a film that is full of excellent moments.

Again, Weir's direction really is very, very good -- and he's now one of my favorite directors. There are plenty of gorgeous shots in this film: the ship at full sale, the creatures in the Galapagos Islands, etc. There are also plenty of terrifying shots: the storm around Cape Horn, the battle scenes. But the driving force of the story is the friendship of Aubrey and Maturin; and the comradeship between the sailors on the ship.

I have the two-disc collector's edition and it really is a beautiful DVD set. The set looks like old parchment, with line drawings of Crowe and the ship. The special features are located on the second disc and there are plenty of them and they are enjoyable to watch. I also found that I learned from the special features, especially about the different techniques used in the production of the film.

Recommendation: See it!
Rating: 5 of 5 Stars
Next Film: Monty Python and the Holy Grail

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Title: Dead Poets Society
Director: Peter Weir
Date: 1989
Studio: Touchstone Pictures
Genre: Drama
Cast: Robin Williams, Robert Sean Leonard, Ethan Hawke
Format: Widescreen, Color
DVD Format: R1, NTSC

"In my class you will learn to think for yourselves again. You will learn to savor words and language. No matter what anybody tells you, words and ideas can change the world." -- John Keating

"Boys, you must strive to find your own voice, but the longer you wait to begin, the less likely you are to find it at all. Thoreau said 'most men lead lives of quiet desperation', don't be resigned to that." -- John Keating

Dead Poet's Society is an extra-ordinary movie about an extra-ordinary teacher. English teacher John Keating (Robin Williams) is the teacher most of us always wanted to have, some of us were lucky enough to have, and if you've ever taught or tried to teach -- the teacher we strive to be. Keating doesn't simply read to his students, or have them read poetry aloud. Rather, he brings poetry alive by bringing his students outside the classroom - to look at the pictures of past students and remind the current ones how short life can be; or having them read a line of poetry aloud then kick a ball (again outside). Whether it's a exercise in what creates conformity, or having students stand on his desk to get a view -- Keating not only knows how to reach his students, and turn them into admirers of the great poets, but he touches and changes lives.

However, as one might guess in a movie set at a conservative boys-only prep school in the 1950s, where all the boys have had their entire lives mapped out from day one by their parents, Keating's unconventional style is noticed and Not Approved by the conservative staff. It may have gone OK, but for the life of one student, Neil Perry. Neil is, at heart, an artsy type. At the opening of the movie, Neil's father decides he's taking "too many activities" and forces him to drop the school annual (yearbook). From the look on Neil's face, the audience can tell it's his favorite activity, but Neil caves and does what Daddy tells him to, because he feels he has no choice. Later it's Neil who revives Keating's "Dead Poets Society", a social club for reading poetry, writing poetry, and Carpe Diem or "Seize the Day", the un-official anthem of the film.

Neil, later discovers a nearby school is holding open try outs for a play and as he's always wanted to try acting, Neil goes ahead and tries out, gets the part, and forges the necessary permission slips. He keeps the entire deal secret from his over-bearing, conservative, egotistical father. His father does find out, though, and forbids Neil from having anything to do with "that acting nonsense" -- he's to become a doctor. Neil doesn't know what to do -- so he sees Keating. Keating tells him he has to talk to his father again, to explain his passion, that he wants to try the stage, just once. Later, Neil lies about talking to his father and goes to the play. As Puck in A Midsummer's Night's Dream, Neil is a smash success. But his father sees him on stage, and gets angry. He takes Neil home and tells him that not only would there be none of this acting business, but he's pulling him from school and he will be sent to a military academy. That most certainly sounds like hell to Neil - he kills himself.

After Neil's death, the school blames everything on Keating, who's fired. But the last image of the film, of the Dead Poet's Society boys, calling Keating "Captain, my Captain", and standing on their desks in a salute is breath-taking, and will make you cry.

Peter Weir's direction is stunning in this movie. From lovely, beautiful, monochromatic shots -- such as the boys running off into the blue, misty, night sky and literally disappearing; to the white, snowy scene right after Neil's death, when his roommate, Todd, throws up and runs off out of grief. There are plenty of gorgeous shots of the beautiful scenery in this movie (in Delaware according to the credits), but Weir also films people with a deft hand. He uses light and shadow well. And he brings out emotion, beautifully, in a film with basically all male characters (there's a few girlfriends here or there, but that's it).

Dead Poet's Society is a film that changes whenever you watch it. Initially, (and yes, I saw the film when it came out in 1989), it seemed like Neil's father was a complete jerk, and completely to blame for Neil's death -- and the way it was blamed on Mr. Keating. Last time I watched this film, when I first bought the DVD (another $5.00 special no less!) -- I detected a hint of anti-homosexuality, theorizing that Mr. Perry's hatred of acting and the stage, and anything artsy at all, was actually because actors were thought to be "all gay", especially in the 1950s. Thus, his attacks on Neil's interests in writing and acting. This time around, I noticed Neil's complete inability to talk to or challenge his father -- though his father certainly didn't make any sort of conversation possible. And the treatment of Keating is still really horrible and unfair. It's a testament to the director's skill that he can get so many different reads from a single movie.

And it goes without saying, that Robin Williams is brilliant as the unconventional Mr. Keating. Robert Sean Leonard is brilliant as the tormented and artistic Neal. And a very, very, VERY young Ethan Hawke gives a wonderful performance as Neal's new roommate Todd. All the performances in the film are stunning, even the characters you dislike such as Neil's father, and some of the more conventional teachers at the Welton Academy.

Recommendation: See it!
Rating: 4 Stars
Next Film: Die Another Day (James Bond)

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