Hey folks... I have to say I am so completely DYING to see the new Luc Besson film that I'm dying. Just the description of the new full length trailer has me... slobbering (must remember to buy a bib). This is a film that I just know would kick incredible ass. How can it not? It's friggin Luc Besson. And before you go harping on FIFTH ELEMENT, screw you, I love that film. Hopefully we'll be hearing more and more on this film soon. Keep your fingers crossed, and as for the END OF DAYS trailer... I know what all the sequences are that Trailer Man is describing since I've seen the film, and yeah... this should kick your ass pretty hard. But... Man... It's this Luc Besson film that has my heart accelerating at the moment... (Thank God for reports like this to cleanse my mouth of that poo-poo (Night of the Living Dead 30th Anniversary)...
Trailers are keeping Technicolor labs in hyper drive this weekend and I can assure all that these include titles that many have been waiting for months to preview, I myself included. Again, regardless of unflappable anticipation one might have for an upcoming release, lets check out these 2 minute 30 second mini masterpieces in how well they convey and sell to the uninformed masses....and elevate want-to-see. Let's begin with, by far, one of the greatest this year.......and one other.
THE MESSENGER: THE STORY OF JOAN OF ARC (Sony Pictures)
Open with a young woman running through a stunningly beautiful field of red poppies, followed with quick cuts of racing storm clouds, close up shots of her beatific face, streaming radiant sun beams, a village being torched and finally her running into a chapel as if in a dream state. Stained glass windows shatter under the stress of a wind pouring forth a blinding celestial light with Albinoni's haunting Adagio underscoring the whispered voice-over of lead Milla Jovovich, recalling her strange, near frightening and soul searing experience of a voice sending her a message...voice over now dialogue between her, John Malkovich ( monk haircut and robe) and with assorted French royalty and delegates in a dark candlelit chamber intently listening that "God had given me a message.....a message to deliver" now Malkovich incredulous, asking "What was the message.........?" BOOM! A low frequency base roar of near tribal drum beatings with images of what can only be described as visually realized states of rapture and then again a close up of that angelic face of Jovovich, drums abruptly stopping......and her answer: "He said tell us save France from her enemies and bring her back into the hands of God". WOW! I must stop here, this just the first 45 seconds. Suffice to say what follows, beginning with Jovovich sheer inspiration atop a white horse, resplendent in armor in the throws of epic battle and her voice calling "Follow Me!!" and continuing with scenes of down and dirty medieval warring, breathtaking shots of a coronation, ecstatic scenes of victory, and recreations of time and place that are truly overwhelming. Abruptly, an ominous shot of Dustin Hoffman's face, in extreme close-up and speaking two words, "That's treason!". And then in masterful edits of key dialogue, powerful, visceral images of judicial proceedings, questions of heresy, arrests all combined with exhilarating scenes of a defiant soldier/waif the commanding presence and delivery of Milla Jovovich. A roll call of the cast that also includes Faye Dunaway (looking as imperial and foreboding as any Lady Macbeth). Preview then ends with an astounding melange of visually arresting shots, ending with Hoffman summoning every effete and lascivious presence in his character asking "Who are you to even think that you can know the difference between good and evil?" A gavel in slow motion begins to strike its base and a wrenching closing shot of that face, with tears flowing, and speaking in a weak shaking voice imploring "I'm just the messenger"..... Cut to title card: A FILM BY LUC BESSON.
Applause. This trailer masters all the elements of commanding, adrenaline pumping, altogether jaw-dropping use of images, dialogue and pacing to create an indelible impact on a theatre audience, an audience prior, may have had not a clue or care about Joan Of Arc. Or for that matter in seeing the work of a director, whose career in film originated in France, with only two releases to date in English, and while certainly embraced by a vocal fan base, never achieved the acclaim, and crossover they deserved. The trailer will get them there. And, pardon this editorial but I hope THE MESSENGER will succeed beyond the expectations and excitement these brief minutes give and motivate those too young or indifferent to now seek out his earlier gems: THE PROFESSIONAL ( the performance Besson nailed from Natalie Portman is the decade's best by a child star with apologies to Haley Osment, your second), La FEMME NIKITA, and to a degree THE BIG BLUE along with his underwater documentary, ATLANTIS. Hmmm, and THE 5th ELEMENT is great for tuning up your home theatre system but again, I digress.....
END OF DAYS (Universal)
Sure enough, the footage collected and edited for this millennium thriller, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger is too strong, too violent for viewing by an audience of all ages and will be released as a Red Band trailer; that is it can only be programmed on R, NC-17 (like there are any) or unrated films. No, it is not so off putting for those sedate in their seats during a movie's pre feature lineup. What the trailer delivers, quite effectively, is a very dark, creepy and satanic tale of a battle between good and evil that looks really expensive. But the marketing of this film has a distinct challenge of unfortunate timing in that it must elevate this production from recent releases as STIGMATA, STIR OR ECHOES, and any distractions early marketing efforts of LOST SOULS (now moved to early 2000) may have established conversely diluting want-to-see and originality. So it has to hit with every bit of cinematic power and storytelling the movie has to offer...Yes? Well, I am afraid this trailer is not where it needs to be but it is far from a failure. The trailer opens establishing it's the end of '99 may be the first problem since it really looks like a film a few years back with Ralph Fiennes called STRANGE DAYS. Saving grace was while the movie was quite original and a ride for the first 2/3's it bombed commercially so recall may be negligible. Cut to a crowded subway car and a creepy looking guy with a haircut like Buckwheat of the Lil Rascals, but dyed yellow, taunting a woman saying "he's coming to get to you Christine". Of course she freaks since he is so ugly and he knows her name so when she reaches out to push away he breaks apart, literally like a hollow Christmas ornament shattering on the subway floor. His head is about 1/3 broken and laying on its side and then continues to speak to her that "he's coming to get you". Okay! Now that got my attention. Then really dark glimpses are inter cut, very SEVEN like, of dank rooms, shelves with gross things in large jars, the floors and walls scrawled with occult like symbols then very fast images of a body hurling through the air, a bloodied live baby and fire. Then back to a subway tunnel with a homeless guy screaming "the Archangel has been let loose" and now finally Arnold, presumably a law officer of sorts, holding him at gunpoint saying get down.."Geet doun!" then shooting. Thing is the guy screaming had no tongue we find when huddled with other detectives. More of the same scenes inter cut earlier but now include woman on subway. Arnold now telling her you have been chosen "yeww hauv bein chosun" and she retorts but why? "I don no" Anyway quick cuts now of mayhem, buildings exploding, people screaming, then a really interesting shot of a huge caped figure almost wing like and clear like the water worm in THE ABYSS but aflame as well. Rod Steiger as a priest divulging something about a spirit arriving in human flesh unlocking the gates of Hell is followed with a guy wearing an ominous dark suit explosions behind him. Then an extended pursuit by a guy suspended from a helicopter giving chase to somebody on the roof tops of NYC buildings, (no clue if either are Arnold), plucking him up like a bird of prey and all of this to urgent choral music very THE OMEN-like. Then you hear a strange voice from the dark suit guy, "I've come for my wife, Christine!" (oh, a plot item) Then cut to a coven of priests including Steiger holding a dagger, gathered around a body they are about to stab as a sacrifice... oh, that would be Christine.... Blam! a pistol shot disintegrates the blade fired by Arnold and saves her from certain death by Catholics. Trailer continues with an okay sequence of a tram car out of control, ablaze, and our heroes holding on for dear life then running from subsequent fire ball.....actually edited the other way around but why I can't say. Though next is a fantastic cut to a Cathedral interior, shot from above with fire belching from its sides and literally a floor arching shock wave, a quake like phenomenon that rumbles from rear cathedral forward tumbling the pews like rows of dominoes: cut instantly to a shot from the rear of cathedral to witness an enormous, heaving explosion of dirt, foundation and flooring rising stories high. Then a deafening silence, quite effective after all the pounding base, "omenous" choral chanting, explosions, and such. On the screen, Arnold is keenly staring up at the top of the rubble... the only sound a heartbeat.... and peering back..its..... Wham!! a split second shot of an immense explosion, flames licking into the distinct shape of hinged wings..Title card: END OF DAYS...and end of trailer. Clearly, this preview delivers the special effects that no other release of the occult/satan/possession/ghost/spirit genre anywhere had this year. It establishes Arnold as star and conveys a framework of the story line as best can be distilled into minutes. Most effectively, the trailer does build by way of danger, action, effects and music score into a climax of sorts, and with the unexpected dropout of all sounds but a heart beat, does create by end a degree of suspense. But possibly this genre is exhausted, maybe MATRIX sucked up all the new visual candies, have we tired of end of millennium prophecies? Whatever the cases are, seeing less of what's familiar and playing up the unique qualities would better serve this epic scaled thriller.
Next up THE GREEN MILE and ANY GIVEN SUNDAY
