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Summary: One GREAT movie
Review: Just a great movie. One to take you into your inner limit
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Summary: Another Malkovich Marvel
Review: Malkovich is well cast as the lead in this film. Many critics of this film miss the entire point of his casting. Obviously being cerebral is beyond them. Fantastic scenery, excellent telling of life from that time period. Great Film.
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Summary: The Stifling Sky
Review: Paul Bowles' novel of self-discovery in the Sahara is one of my favorite books of all time. So I looked forward with great anticipation to Bernardo Bertolucci's film version. The desert makes a great setting for film as amply illustrated by such films as Lawrence of Arabia and The English Patient. Although Bertolucci and cinematographer succeed brilliantly in evoking the images and atmosphere of postwar North Africa, on other levels the effort is decidedly mixed.For me the flaws lie primarily with the casting of the leads. John Malkovich and Debra Winger both turn in earnestly game performances as Port and Kit Moresby, a couple of self-centered, idle rich New Yorkers who come to Africa with the purpose of having an adventure to spice up their 10-year-old marriage and distract themselves from their increasing emotional distance. Both Port and Kit pride themselves on being "travellers" rather than mere tourists, as they explain rather pompously to their travelling companion, a mutual and barely tolerated acquaintance who has his eye on Kit. All three travel with a ridiculous amount of luggage and it is soon clear that style rather than substance rule Kit and Port's world and that they are just drifting aimlessly through life without any clear goals because they have the financial means to do so. Kit and Port are figures straight out of Fitzgerald--young, stylish, self-absorbed and devoid of any moral compass. Malkovich is badly miscast as the urbane and intellectual Port, a man struggling to retain his preconceived ideas of how to live in a completely alien atmosphere where things are rapidly falling apart. Malkovich has none of Port's slightly girlish beauty or polished manners that Bowles describes, and his flat, light voice is annoying and makes throwaways of some of Bowles' excellent dialogue. Malkovich excels at playing malevolent characters, and always exudes a sinister aura, which is totally wrong for Port. Port lacks backbone and empathy with others, being too enamored of what goes on inside his own head, but he is not evil. Debra Winger fares a little better as Kit, whose personal oddysey becomes the focus of the story. She too is physically wrong for the part--dark and earthy where Bowles' Kit is fair, fragile and projects an air of helplessness, at least in the early part of the book. Winger is too gutsy for Kit, and also too much of a mature woman. Her attempts at disingeniousness seem forced and silly, since with her whiskey laugh and voluptuous limbs, she is obviously in charge of herself and seems unlikely to be the helpless victim of circumstances that Kit is. Her husky Midwestern-ness is also at odds with the cultured Eastern society debutante of Bowles' book. She looks fabulous in the period costumes, however, and as her character goes deeper into the desert, both literally and figuratively speaking, the character grows into Winger, rather than the other way around. Cambell Scott, Timothy Spall and Jill Bennett are strong in supporting roles, at times threatening to overshadow the two leads. Ryuichi Sakamoto's score is haunting but at times too jarring for the action. The dialog is at times heavy and the motivations opaque; the author (who has a cameo in the film as a mysterious blind man glimpsed in a bar--he also provides narration) has written a story of a journey that is more interior than exterior; as a result it does not translate easily to film. I highly recommend reading the novel prior to viewing the movie so you can tell what's going on in this visually gorgeous yet unsettling and ultimately unsatisfying film.
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Summary: FINALLY AFTER 12 YEARS, "THE SHELTERING SKY" ON DVD!
Review: Some love it and some hate it, but it is nearly impossible to deny that this is compelling filmmaking. Yes, the film does have many different elements from Paul Bowles' novel, but Bertolucci's work is equally mesmerizing and carries one on the same strange journey into north Africa. Some see Debra Winger as miscast in the role of Kit. I think the three stars, Malkovich, Winger and Campbell Scott are nearly perfect in the film and lend great credibility to this esoteric telling of a complicated and deteriorating relationship. This is one of those films where, in addition to the three leads, there exists a fourth central character...the land itself. If you want to feel as if you have journeyed through the colorful canyons, dusty cities and great desert regions of northern Africa (not always in first-class comfort, mind you) "The Sheltering Sky" will take you there. Don't try too hard to make sense of everything which is happening externally and internally to the characters, as the storytelling is often elliptical, just absorb the simultaneous beauty and tragedy of this unique experience.
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Summary: Tea in the Sahara
Review: Tea in the Sahara, Tea with Bernardo Bertolucci, Tea with John Malkovich, Debra Winger, and Eric Vu-An A plush desert, sounds ironic, doesn't it But, no better word comes to mind The richness and depth of the actors The exotic landscape The beautiful blue sky by day and full moon at night The charming culture of the Arab locals The strong beautiful French accent Buildings so quaint and antiquated Gradual assimilation into the Sahara Feeds human hunger for exotic adventure Profound, leaving you wanting more! Eric Vu-An! Bel etranger avec Africain un sourire I want more!
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Summary: Stick a fork in it
Review: Terrible, terrible movie. It goes nowhere for no purpose. Would appeal to people who find wealthy, grown men and women pissing and moaning about the fact that they're shallow pukes, cute.
Rating:
Summary: Outstanding film
Review: The book was successfully transformed to a movie. With an outstanding cinematography, director Bertolucci was able to put on screen man's search for meaning in a strange land. Good acting and well-written script give this movie an excellent rating.
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Summary: Problematic Yet Memorable
Review: The first hour of this film is a struggle to get through, with undeveloped characters and bad film editing getting in the way. However, once you give up trying to understand the Moresby's marriage, based on the scant details provided, the film exerts a hypnotic hold by providing a fascinating immersion in the desert cultures and stunning photography. Author Paul Bowles, appearing as himself early in the film and at the end, provides the best comments of the film. Viewers who like this film may want to check out Kate Winslet's film "Hideous Kinky," about a young woman's journey to self-realization in Morocco.
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Summary: Hypnotic, visually superb film
Review: The Sheltering Sky is based on Paul Bowles novel, relating how an American couple attempted to rekindle their marriage by journeying into the heart of the Sahara desert. As if afraid of confronting the tensions between them, Port (John Malkovich) agrees to take along with them the wealthy playboy Tunner, at least for the first part of their journey. And so creating a "menage-a-trois" situation, with Port later realising his true feelings for his wife Kit (Debra Winger)But fate deals them a savage hand, as the harsh, unforgiving terrain of the Sahara makes it's own impact on their destiny. The film owes much to the superb music score, a haunting passionate love theme, played in an austere way, like two people in love, yet both afraid to commit, hinting not only at their concealed passion, but also inner loneliness. With many attractive Arabic themes also. If you prefer action films, don't think about buying this one. Some may find it long, introspective, and at times, ambiguous, with the narrative often giving way to somethig akin to a national geographic documentary. The remaining leading character spoke only a handful of words for the last three quarters of an hour..But a beautiful, lush, masterful journey which lovers of Africa will not want to miss.
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Summary: Tedious, pointless movie
Review: The Sheltering Sky may be the most tedious movie I've ever seen. The characters are terribly dysfunctional and the movie never explains why, nor does it resolve the dysfunctionality in their relationships. The plot drags and even the action doesn't take the story anywhere. The end is terribly unsatisfying. Finally, the high-pitched noises the extras make are simply unbearable.
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