5 reviews

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Su Jordan March 22, 2007

Science behind the movie?! Er... this is magic realism, not a factual account of a real criminal, so if you thought it was the latter, you will have found this film confusing. If on the other hand you are perfectly happy to suspend your disbelief, enjoy the stunning cinematography (and forget to be disappointed by discrepancies with the book if you've read it first), you are in for a treat. Who needs smell-o-vision when the filth of the French slums or the heady scent of lavender fields practically ooze from the screen? This was one of the best films I've seen in ages, and yes, the ending is unusual and rather abrupt, but then would you rather every film had a neater-than-neat Hollywood ending? I wouldn't. And I'd see it again - which is about the heartiest recommendation I ever give to new films these days!

Blimey, what can be said? Well, first off the movie is long so make sure you're sitting comfortably if you're about to watch this movie...

As others have said, the first 75% of the movie is quite engrossing. It's probably best not to think too much about the science behind the movie and really take it at face value...

The movie is certainly dark and there is certainly no happy ending. Although set in France in the 19th century, I thought it unusual to have people talk in what appears to be a cockney accent... The actor who plays the main character does a very good job; although I was a bit disappointed with Alan Rickman (a bit flat) and Dustin Hoffman (the accent wasn't quite right and kept changing...)

There are times when the movie gets a bit silly, especially the last 30 or so minutes. This is unfortunate because this does seriously affect the overall outcome of the movie. In addition, I was slightly confused as to when his flash back (the majority of the film) merged back with real time - I kept expecting to see the main character back on the balcony at night...

All in all, a movie worth watching because it's so unique, but be prepared to feel cheated when you walk out of the cinema... I'll give it 6/10.

Sai

Serious Sai 7 Jan 2007

A stunning cinematic offering to delight and repel the senses .
Tom Tykwer has managed the seemingly impossible feat of turning olfactory perceptions into visual images of glorious beauty and horror.

The movie is a ravishingly dark and brutal tale of ammoral Jean-Baptiste Grenouille's relentless and single-minded pursuit of the distillation of women's essences to create the ultimate scent, as compensation for his own lack of B.O (in his eyes this negates his very existence to himself and others). His unique olfactory powers being so great, his own perception of life is only comprehensible to him through scent.

One is hard pressed not to feel empathy towards a character so lacking in emotional and moral compasses and I could not help but see him as much of a victim as the young women he murders.
Ben Whishaw proves his astonishing acting talents in a role with very few lines. He imbues the movie with an intensely primal, animal,yet subtle screen presence.

A very Dark fairytale narrated to great effect by John Hurt, it is beautiful, savage and as close as you will ever get to "scratch and sniff" on a silver screen! Faultless acting all around, and in my opinion costumes and sets unmatched for their "realistic" qualities!18th century France has never felt or looked so repugnantly "stinky" and yet so ravishingly fragranced.

Grenouille's fate is fitting and the ridiculous crowd scene towards the end is only a means to emphasize that a sense of belonging and the power to love and be loved is more than just a chemical reaction, rendering his existence unbearable and pointless. Love it or hate it, "Perfume" is a film like no other and I for one was utterly spell-bound.

Do not miss, a real "tour de force".

Pamplemousse 5 Jan 2007

Possibly the worst film I have ever watched. It starts with such promise. The filming is lush and evocative of 19th century Paris. One can almost smell the streets, the people, the stench. Wishaw does a great job, and he was the only reason I was prepared to suspend my credulity and be swept along initially by his superb performance as Grenouille, a man with extraordinary olfactory powers.

After a rough start to life in an orphanage and a tannery, Grenouille's powers lead him to seek work with a perfumier, played delightfully by Dustin Hoffman, where he learns the craft of distilling essences, but Grenouille wants to know how to preserve smells. This goal becomes his obsession after he suffocates a beautiful young vendor woman whose body odour enchants him. After a period spent as a hermit in a cave in the mountains, Grenouille discovers his life's mission: he wants to command power and for people to respect him. He soon finds himself in the city at the centre of the perfume trade, Grasse, where he is shown the art of "deflorrage": a method that enables the perfume maker to capture the scent of flowers used by setting them in animal fat. After some experimentation, he finds the method that best suits his purpose and gets to work murdering beautiful young girls and capturing their essences which he combines to create the most beautiful scent.

The ending is overblown, ridiculous, stupid. Up until this point, I had found the film absorbing, my emotions being pummelled by scenes that horrified, such as the pitiful birth of Grenouille in the fishmarket amidst the filth of fish guts. But I left the cinema feeling cheated by the absurd and rubbish ending.

raisin 5 Jan 2007

German novelist Patrick Süskind’s Das Parfum, was supposedly unfilmable, but German Director Tom Tykwer has produced a lush period drama that comes over like a twisted fairytale. With great performances from Tom Whishaw, Dustin Hoffman and Alan Rickman as well as a suitably gravelly narration from John Hurt, this should make it onto the Oscar nominations. Tom Whishaw, as Jean-Baptiste Grenouille, will manages to fill you with empathy one moment and then horrify you the next. I'll say nothing about the plot as that would spoil it, but think of the old Impulse adverts and imagine that David Cronenberg was commissioned to make one.

Kerbside 2 Jan 2007