I promised my friend Ravi that I would write my view on the
movie UpStream Colour two weeks before and so I am writing it. I had to thank
him for making write this review although I tried for a very long time to write
something about the movie.
Before I go into the movie I want to say few about the
director of the film. This film “UpStream Colour” is written, directed,
produced, edited, sound designed, distributed and cinematographed by Shane
Carruth who is the leading actor of the movie. Now you may remember a Tamil
Veteran called T. Rajendar for the same reasons but he is from a different
league you know, no one can be compared to our T.R. so let us come back to the
Shane Carruth. The movie UpStream Colour is his second feature film, first one
being PRIMER. This movie came nine years after the first movie. Now he has a reputation which is hard for any
new comers. The Primer is the prime reason for me to watch this movie. So without
talking about Primer we cannot talk about this movie or about Shane Carruth.
Any movie buff must have heard about the Interstellar project
initially when it was in the hands of Steven Spielberg. He told that he wanted
to make a scientifically correct film. He was dissatisfied by the Pseudo
science films that he wanted to make one science film that projects science as science.
This was around 2006 I assume, but the movie Primer released at 2004. This is
by far the most scientifically realistic movie I ever watched and most
convoluted movie too. This movie made Memento as crystal clear movie. It took
me a hell lot of time to figure out what is in the movie and beyond to figure
how he did it. The latter still has no answer. After this the movie maker comes
with a movie and what you expect?
One of my friends usually says that judge a director by his
second movie, for the first movie he might have worked for years but the second
movie really tells him what he is. I had this in my mind but beyond that I had
faith in this filmmaker. I was sure that this movie will not be like a normal
movie but still the theme was said as love that made me feel a bit cynical. But
that too went away when I finally watched the movie.
His first movie was hard to follow at the first watch and it
was more dialogue oriented. This movie is a visual treat, you will get the
story of the movie in the first watch. But it is a Shane Carruth movie so you
need to rewatch and you will discover treasure for sure. This movie is more
simplistic and minimalistic in dialogues. He visually tells the story and I never
thought someone who made a conversation movie can make entirely different genre
movie. The beauty of the movie is that we don’t see Shane Carruth but only the
movie and the characters not the person which is totally opposite in many cases
of our artiste. We see the artiste not the characters, the artiste trying hard
to project their own projection and imbibing into the movie so that we are
forced to see the star and the actor not the character.
Now even after reading as much as 500 and so on words you
might wonder when I am going to talk about the story of the movie. Yes, let us
see what the story is, it is simple first the leading lady Kris(Amy Seimetz) is
drugged, kidnapped and the thief exploits her by taking control of her mind. When
she awakes she sees a large number of worms in her skin and then later a person
(sampler) transforms the worm from her to a pig, later she falls in love with
Jeff played by Shane Carruth on an accidental meet. They both later discover
that they had experienced similar things and what connects them beyond the
human feeling forms the rest of the movie. Technically the movie is sound,
especially with sounds. It’s one man show all the way but you will not be
seeing that single man trying to prove something but a beautiful experience
that lingers on your mind and heart. A must watch is not a word just to say as it has become usual. If you watch it you will experience it.
I may not have written a proper review or view about the movie but all I want to say is watch this movie. Very rarely you can see a movie maker who knows science and arts.
P.S: Image courtesy to www.Newyorker.com and www.guardian.com.
P.S.S : Please do read this to know more about Shane Carruth.
Good one.
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