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Tuesday, February 12, 2013

VAMPIRE SPELLED HOW?*

Today's film was another by Olivier Assayas'

Irma Vep (1996)

A movie within a movie about a silent movie made in the 19 teens, we have lots of stuff going on around the set.

Gossip, artistic opinion, rivalry, character assassination, nervous breakdowns, friendship, genuine esprit de corps, love affairs, attempted love affairs, dope on the side and much much more.

Maggie Chung plays herself as a Hong Kong star brought in to fulfill the vision of the director played by Jean-Pierre LĂ©aud. There is a lot of homage to French cinema here and Leaud's presence signifies the wonderful Truffaut Day For Night, in which he starred as the lead in another film within a film.

It is a hall of mirrors and sometimes one can get lost. It is in English, Cheung's language, and obviously French for all the others. Another isolating factor for the star of the piece. One sees her as an international star trapped in the maze of production. She is never less than gracious and accepting, friendly and wise. The antithesis of the usual temperamental star stereotype. And the opposite of the craziness of much of the others in the production.

There is a lot of upside down cake here.

I liked the film a lot and am glad that I pulled it out of the stack but once is enough.

A 3 out of Netflix5.

To add to the possible confusion, the same story as the original film was brought to the stage in New York by Charles Ludlam and his Theater of the Ridiculous.

Absurd camp which was produced over and over by many other companies.

*IRMA VEP is an anagram for VAMPIRE.

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