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PLEASE NOTE: Michael D's is currently in READ ONLY MODE. Anything submitted will simply not be written to the database.
Lots of stuff is still broken, but at least reviews can now be looked up and read.
Caravaggio (Filmmakers Collection) (1986)
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Caravaggio (Filmmakers Collection) (1986)
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Released 30-Jun-2008
This review is sponsored by
Details At A Glance
| General |
Extras |
| Category |
Drama |
Interviews-Cast-Nigel Terry and Tilda Swinton(6:45 and 8:46)
Interviews-Crew-Christopher Hobbs (Production designer) (8:18)
Interviews-Cast & Crew-Derek Jarman (6:32) In Conversation w. Simon Field
Audio Commentary-Feature Length by cinematographer Gabriel Beristain
Production Notes-Jarman's Note Book : 65 screens of the director's notes
Production Notes-18 detailed production sketches
Production Notes-Storyboards - 72 in total
Production Notes-Jarman in the Frame : Dr's participation in the production
Trailer-(1:41) Original Theatrical Trailer
Audio Bites-(58:33) Interview of Derek Jarman at London premiere
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| Rating |
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Year Of Production
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1986
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| Running Time |
89:10
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RSDL
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Flipper
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RSDL (69:43)
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Cast & Crew |
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Start Up
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Menu |
| Region Coding |
1,2,3,4,5,6
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Directed By |
Derek Jarman
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Studio
Distributor |
BFI
Umbrella Entertainment
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Starring |
Nigel Terry
Sean Bean
Tilda Swinton
Michael Gough
Nigel Davenport
Dexter Fletcher
Garry Cooper
Robbie Coltrane
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| Case |
Amaray-Opaque |
| RPI |
$29.95
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Music |
Simon Fisher-Turner
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NOTE: The Profanity Filter is ON. Turn it off here.
Plot Synopsis
Lovers of cinema, art, and the convergence of both, must give thanks to Umbrella Entertainment for releasing what is one of the best films made about a great artist and his work. Writer / director Derek Jarman brought Caravaggio to the screen in 1986, and this DVD release allows us to appreciate the beauties of his film with a glowing anamorphic transfer that does justice to the beauty that was originally captured on film. In his relatively short life (1942-1994) Derek Jarman made only twelve feature films, beginning with his sensually stunning Sebastiane in 1976. The following year he created his "classic", Jubilee, and before his death other films would include The Tempest (1979) and Edward II (1991). Whatever his subject, we are always aware that we are looking at a Derek Jarman film, but nowhere does he sustain such a consistency of visual beauty as in this remarkable work of art.
In his lifetime Michelangelo da Caravaggio (1573-1610) created approximately forty paintings, each one a masterpiece. Rather than retell an historically accurate account of the artist's life Jarman uses the paintings themselves as a source of the truths of the man's life. The film opens with the artist on his deathbed, and the narrative see-saws between times, revealing the man's life, but returning always to the scene of his death. First we see him as a small boy plucked from his peasant existence and transplanted into an unknown world where he makes his way by selling his paintings and his body to admirers of both.In his youth he finds favour and patronage within the church, and later seeks his models amidst the low life of the taverns and streets. In one crowded drinking place he is drawn to a handsome, blonde piece of "rough trade", Ranuccio, who becomes his muse, the model's hair and skin as golden as the coins with which he is paid. Ranuccio's lustily abandoned lover is Lena, and she completes this triangle of passionately colliding lovers, their intercourse being the overwhelming stream of the narrative. .
Performances are beyond criticism. Nigel Terry simply is Caravaggio, an artistically and sexually driven man whose passions are revealed on canvas, but rarely in real life. Sean Bean is totally electric in his portrayal of the beautiful, animalistic Ranuccio, object of the artist's love, while Tilda Swinton, in her film debut, is beautifully sensual as Caravaggio nurtures her from grimy slut to elegant courtesan. The supporting cast is also excellent, including Michael Gough, Nigel Davenport and Garry Cooper, with special mention to Spencer Leigh as Jerusaleme, the artist's faithful assistant, and Dexter Fletcher (Lock,Stock and Two Smoking Barrels) as the androgenous youthful Caravaggio.
The core strength of the film, however, is in its visuals. Painting in Rome during the late Renaissance, Caravaggio perfected the chiaroscuro technique, the contrast of light and shade. His technique was studied, and emulated by Rembrandt during that master's student years, and this dramatic contrast is reproduced superbly on the screen. The literal meaning of chiaroscuro, chiaro clear and obscuro dark or obscure, is undoubtedlky the key to Jarman's depiction of the artist himself. Caravaggio is seen as a man who is capable of being clear and direct, in his painting as in life, as when he defiantly confronts the sexuality of both Ranuccio and, later, Lena. This same man will at other times conceal his true self in a world which would condemn him for his legally forbidden passions. Also coming from the paintings are the colour tones of the film, taken straight from the canvasses of the artist, with scene after scene startling with the glorious images captured on film. The visual highlights are the often breathtaking tableaux vivants, or living pictures, in which Jarman has, with live actors and a remarkable artistic team, recreated in infinte detail the paintings of Caravaggio. This film is frequently jaw-dropping.
Derek Jarman has fictionalised the life of Caravaggio the artist, even going so far as to call his screenplay "a myth". But his aim was to capture "the spirit of the thing", that "thing" being the art work itself, and from the painting the man himself. Anachronisms abound throughout the film - typewriters, tuxedoes, calculators, musical instruments - which probably means that we should see some relevance to our own contemporary life from these decadent old Italian shenanigans. But such anachronistic tricks have become an arty cliche, and maybe Derek Jarman was just having a bit of silly fun. All I know is that I am reacting against becoming too analytical and intellectually critical of this film. Undoubtedly made by individuals of artistic integrity and intelligence, Caravaggio is a work that delivers an emotional experience and demands an emotional response, without any preconceived "art house" pretense. Park your brain and just feel this movie.
Caravaggio is a work of art the will enrich your life, if you open yourself to the experience.File it in your library with your art books, not alphabetically with the DVD's somewhere between Can't Stop The Music and Caravans.
Don't wish to see plot synopses in the future? Change your configuration.
Transfer Quality
Video
The video transfer is magnificent.
The transfer is presented in the original aspect ratio of 1.85:1, and is 16x9 enhanced.
Every frame of this film is a visual treat.
The excellent feature length commentary has a great deal of information regarding the forethought that went into the filming of Caravaggio, and the results on the screen are evidence of the success of this planning.
The image is sharp, clean and clear, with an appropriate amount of moderate grain.
Enormous care was taken to recreate on the screen much of the work of the artist, and the palette of the film is remarkable.
Detail is excellent, whether in the stark scenes or the enveloping shadows which frequently surround the characters, both living and in the paintings. The intention was for the screen never to become totally black, for some detail always to be evident. This is achieved, and reproduced superbly. There is no low level noise.
Skin tones are also excellent, and vary according to the intention of the director and his cinematographer. At times skins are transparently white, while at other times florid and rich.
The only film-to-video artefact noted was a hair (35:43) and a minute scratch (39:43). Apart from these instances the film looks immaculate. .
There are English Descriptive Subtitles for the Hearing Impaired. These were sampled and were excellent.
There are also Dutch subtitles.
The disc is dual-layered, with a seamless layer change at 69:43 between chapters eight and nine.
Video Ratings Summary
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| Film Artefacts | |
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Audio
There are two audio streams : English Dolby Digital 2.0 mono encoded at 192 Kbps.
English Commentary(by cinematographer Gabriel Beristain) in Dolby Digital 2.0 mono encoded at 192 Kb.
Both streams were auditioned in their entirety.
The sound is very good mono, rich full and clear.
There is considerable depth to the sound, particularly noted when other sounds fade and we are left with only the crashing of the waves on the shore.
Dialogue was superbly distinct and there were no sync problems. There were no clicks or dropouts.
The musical score by Simon Fisher Turner (TV's Sweeney Todd) is wonderfully atmospheric and beautifully reproduced.
It would be quite inappropriate for the soundtrack of this film to grab attention, Caravaggio is a visual experience not an aural one.
Audio Ratings Summary
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Extras
This is a most satisfying bunch of extras. Though they do leave you wanting more, this is only because what is there is so good. Each item adds to the enjoyment and appreciation of this beautiful piece of film art. There is no padding or fluff, no mutual back-slapping, just sensitive and intelligent observation. It is great to see and hear two of the lead actors in the interviews, but it is a shame that the third, Sean Bean, did not participate.
Main Menu:
A montage of close-ups from the final tableau of the film leads to a still of tableaux with a solitary live figure in the foreground. The Main Menu screen is presented 16x9 with audio of harpsichord music and crashing waves, and offers the following options :
Play
Scene Selections : Ten beautiful tableaux thumbnails on five screens, without audio or animation.
Special Features : A second screen, with live action and audio, offers the following :
Interviews : Nigel Terry
Tilda Swinton
Christopher Hobbs (Production Designer)
Derek Jarman in conversatioin with Simon Field
Derek Jarman interviewed by Derek Malcolm (audio only).
Commentary : Feature length by cinematographer Gabriel Beristain
Production Design : A further screen, with a still and music audio offers :
Jarman's Note Book
Production Documentation
Storyboards
Jarman in the Frame
Trailer
Gallery
Set Up : A separate screen with a still and no audio offers :
Show English subtitles for the hard-of hearing on all items : On / Off
Play film with Dutch subtitles : On / Off
Special Features :
These first three interviews are sadly brief, but wonderful. It is totally refreshing to hear talented, creative individuals discuss their work without the inflated ego tripping usually associated with such exercises. It seems no one was "on a journey", they were just a group of people gathered together by a central force, Derek Jarman, to make a movie. It seems that, for this director, the process or experience of the communal effort was more important than the film that came out of it.. Obviously that committed effort, labour of love if you will, is what ultimately produced this remarkable film, and that is the sweet irony of Derek Jarman's approach to filmmaking.
Interview (6:45) : Kind Blasphemy : Nigel Terry on Derek Jarman and Caravaggio
This recent interview with the actor who played the title role has excellent image quality, and is presented 1.33:1, in a 4x3 transfer, with Dolby Digital 2.0 mono sound encoded at 192 Kbps. Excerpts from the film itself are matted. Terry describes his meeting with Derek Jarman, his memories of the production - "you had a laugh, you got fed and that was great" - and whether the director was a filmmaker or an artist. This is too brief, but insightful, affectionate and distinguished by its intelligence, which is true of all the extras on this disc.
Interview (8:46) : Tilda Swinton on Caravaggio and Derek Jarman
Another, I believe 2006, interview which is presented 1.85:1 in a 4x3 transfer, with excellent image quality. Exuding sensitivity and intelligence, the quite wonderful Tilda Swinton shares her memories of the filming, and her introduction to Jarman's troupe. The actress describes the joyous release Jarman found in finally beginning to actually film after "working on it for maybe eleven years" - actually more like seven - and the gregarious nature of the director who just "wanted a chat". I am inferring, but I would say that she speaks of him with great love and affection. She is responsible for a brand new documentrary, Derek, which is something to seek for any admirer of Derek Jarman.
Interview (8:18) : Italy of the Memory : Christopher Hobbs on Caravaggio
This interview has the same origins and technical specs as the one above. A fascinating account of the origins of the project - which did not start with Jarman at all - the artistic consistency of the film, the discipline of the budget, and the basis of the design being "Italy of the memory - up to The Bicycle Thief". It is totally refreshing to hear talented, creative individuals discuss their work without the inflated ego tripping which is generally associated with these extras.
Interview (6:32) : Derek Jarman in Conversation with Simon Field
Presented in an aspect ration of 1.33:1, this interview is of poorer image quality. Coming from a video source, there is a slight image roll at the bottom of the screen, and some colour fading in a couple of spots. However, the content is pure gold. As a filmmaker Jarman looked more toward Europe than the United States and he saw the aim of a movie as being to create a temporary community. If the film enhanced the lives of those involved in its making, then that film was a deemed to be "a success".
Interview - Audio Only (58:33) : Derek Jarman interviewed by Derek Malcolm
This audio recording is of an interview made with Jarman prior to Caravaggio's UK release. It was recorded on the stage of the National Film Theatre in London after a preview screening of the film. The first minute or so has some bad bugs, but once the interview proper is under way the sound quality is mostly bearable. There are, however, some passages which are difficult, and some impossible, to understand, despite intense concentration. This said, there is much here that is fascinating for anyone who would like to learn more about this unique filmmaker.
Some time is spent commenting on an attack which had just been made on BBC television by Michael Parkinson - "an old man who's out of touch" - an attack on both the film and its director. Jarman is then steered into a discussion of many facets of the production of Caravaggio, including the origins of the story, the budget, casting of principals and extras, censorship and anticipated financial outcome.Questions are invited from the audience, and the interview and exchanges reveal Derek Jarman to be a modest, intelligent and charming man. Yet another truly creative life snuffed out far too early by the devastating cruelty of AIDS.
Interesting to hear Jarman warmly reminisce about the hospitality of his childhood home, where his friends would congregate and be fed by his parents.He speaks of an atmosphere similar to the one he evidently created on the set of his film, recalled so affectionately in the interviews elsewhere on this disc.
Commentary : Feature Length
This is an excellent feature length commentary by the cinematographer responsible for Caravaggio, Gabriel Beristain. Beginning with the simple acknowledgement that working on Caravaggio was "the greatest experience of my whole entire life", this is a touchingly intimate and sincere reminiscenece of his involvement with the film.
There is no hot air in this commentary, Beristain wisely choosing to be quiet when he has nothing to say. As a result, viewing the film with the commentary track is a tremendously rewarding way to watch the film a second time. Beristain concentrates on the visuals of the film, and once he has said his bit regarding a particular set-up, shot or sequence he then allows the film's audio to take over and we can enjoy a slab of the film without comment. Beristain's "bits" are totally engrossing, clearly informing us of the artistic intent of the photography, covering how it was achieved, the role of the actors, and collaboration with director and designer Christopher Hobbs. Never becoming technical or incomprehensible, he discusses the debt owed to the "old masters" by cinematographers, his reason for the avoidance of total blackouts, and even the use of Fuji film. A gem of a commentary!
Gallery : Jarman's Note Book :
Beginning with the animated opening of the notebook itself, here we have pages from one of Derek Jarman's notebooks which were kept during the lengthy development process - seven years. There are sixty-five separate screens, each with at least two pages from the notebook. Some of the entries consist of a few bare words, while others are extensive notations with Jarman's sketches plus a few reproductions of paintings.
Gallery : Production Documentation :
Here we have a gallery of eighteen detailed production sketches made for the film.
Gallery : Storyboards :
This contains seventy-two of Jarman's storyboards, with generally two per screen. It is interesting to note developments which did not make their way into the final film.
Gallery : Jarman in the Frame :
These fourteen screens contain drawings, made by Jarman himself, documenting his personal participation in the film.
Original Theatrical Trailer (1:41) : Presented in an aspect ratio of 1.85:1 and 16x9 enhanced, this excellent trailer has image and audio on a par with the film itself.
Gallery : Twenty-nine colour and black-and-white stills from the film.
R4 vs R1
NOTE: To view
non-R4 releases, your equipment needs to be multi-zone compatible and usually
also NTSC compatible.
The Region 4 release misses out on the liner notes by critic/producer Colin MacCabe.
The Region 1 release misses out on nothing.
Summary
It is rare indeed to see a film and say : "That was art!" Inventively different, Caravaggio is visually glorious, sexy, witty, stimulating and exciting. It is a film that will enrich anyone who is prepared to bring even a little of him or herself to the experience - just as it so obviously enriched the lives of those who worked on it. A unique film.
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| Audio | |
| Extras | |
| Plot | |
| Overall | |
© Garry Armstrong (BioGarry)
Monday, December 01, 2008
| Review Equipment |
| DVD | Onkyo-SP500, using Component output |
| Display | Philips Plasma 42FD9954/69c.
Calibrated with THX Optimizer. This display device is 16x9 capable. This display device has a maximum native resolution of 1080i.
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| Audio Decoder | Built in to DVD player.
Calibrated with THX Optimizer.
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| Amplification | Onkyo TX-DS777 |
| Speakers | VAF DC-X fronts; VAF DC-6 center; VAF DC-2 rears; LFE-07subwoofer (80W X 2) |
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