127 Hours: Gorgeous and Harrowing Triumph of the Will

127 Hours (2010)
Directed by Danny Boyle
Written by Danny Boyle and Simon Beaufoy (based on the book by Aron Ralston)

While I'm not totally in love with all his work, I'm a huge fan of Danny Boyle as a person and artist. In countless interviews he comes across as one of the most positive and forward thinking filmmakers working today. His enthusiasm for his work and life is contagious, and I'm often left feeling giddy after listening to him. If there is one common theme in most of Boyle's work, it is the triumph of regular people over extreme adversity. If that's true, then 127 Hours is the pentultimate example in a varied career that ranges from the post-apocalyptic horror of 28 Days Later to the morality play of Millions. Each of his unique films are linked by this one common element, but 127 Hours is the one that shouts it loudest and clearest.

Based on a true story, 127 Hours chronicles the frightening yet uplifting story of Aron Ralston, an adventurous but self-centered canyoneer who was trapped in a canyon for over five days when his arm became lodged between a rock wall and a fallen boulder. To  pass time and spare his sanity, Aron videotapes messages to his friends and family while attempting formerly simple, but now challenging tasks with the use of only one arm. As he exhausts himself with futile efforts, he realizes with horror that there's only one way to get free. Ralston narrowly escapes starvation and the elements by amputating his right arm.

Boyle's challenge was to recreate the event in what amounts to 90 minutes of one actor standing in the same narrow space for the duration of the film. Luckily, he cleverly keeps things moving in ways that only Boyle can, with stunning photography, moving performances, and the ability to experiment to enhance the film experience. As with his other films, there is truly a feeling of being transported to this particular place at this particular time, suffering along with our hero. We are aware of his physical body, and at the same time, allowed into his wandering and fragmenting mind.

Despite some major limitations, Boyle keeps things interesting by interspersing moments of hallucinations, dreams, and other filmic embodiments of the inner turmoil within Aron's mind. He is slowly losing grasp, and in his lucid moments, feels great regret for some decisions he's made in his life. He relives key moments in which taking a different path may have led him to a better place. Here, Boyle flirts a little with the idea of fate, whether we are at the mercy of our own personal choices, or merely the influence of outside forces. Ultimately, Aron figures out that he's in control of his own destiny and must face the fact that no one, not a rescue team or a god, is going to save him.

Perhaps the biggest reason for success is found in the casting of James Franco who was the perfect choice to play Aron. The underrated actor is certainly up to the task. Appearing in virtually every scene, he commands your attention and brings real pathos to the role. Franco has a charisma that was evident from his beginnings as bad boy Daniel Desario on Freaks and Geeks, but more fully utilized here in what will most likely be an award-winning role. Every grimace of pain, tear of anquish, and cry of joy feels genuine. It's evident that Franco spent a lot of time getting in the right frame of mind by conversing with the real Ralston, as well as reaching within himself to bring out raw feelings.

You probably want to know about the amputation scene: I will let you know that the amputation scene is every bit excruciating as you might imagine. The special effects, brought to us by Tony Gardner at Alterian Studios, have been exhaustively rendered. It almost looks like one is watching a documentary on rudimentary surgery. Another reason why the scene is so harrowing is the addition of effective sound design that penetrates in such a way as to cause additional stress in the viewer. As if we weren't already on edge.

One final note: There's a bit of conflict between a key realization in the film and the theme of individual triumph. I believe one of the overall messages of the film is that it's ok to ask for help. However, it is solely by individual effort that Aron gets out of his terrifying situation. Perhaps Boyle was exorcising his own demons and owning up to past mistakes. Maybe asking for help before you get stuck in the canyon is the overarching theme. In that regard, the film may actually be about trusting in others whether it's making a movie, exploring canyons, or solving a family problem. That would reconcile the two, in my opinion.

127 Hours is certainly one of the best films of the year and more than worth your time in the theater to fully experience the sheer power and beauty. Go see it if you have the chance!

127 Hours Trailer

Roger Corman's The Intruder: The Culture of Fear Now vs. Then

The Intruder (aka Shame) (1962)
Directed by: Roger Corman
Written by: Charles Beaumont (from his novel)

After a few annoying mishaps with a scratched DVD, I was finally able to watch Roger Corman's excellent film The Intruder for the first time. Corman is obviously recognized for his important contributions to independent and especially super low budget filmmaking as a successful producer of over 300 films. He is also an accomplished director, helming 50 of his own films, including his gorgeous takes on Edgar Allen Poe classic tales like The Masque of Red Death and The Pit and the Pendulum. Lesser known is The Intruder, an intense social commentary on the turbulent fight for the equal treatment of black citizens. The backdrop of Corman's film is the struggle for integration in America's schools in the 60's. The Intruder has the unfortunate distinction of being the only Corman film to lose money, though it ranks as one of his best efforts. Shot in crisp black and white, it surpasses most films of a similar theme with its stunning cinematography and uncompromising take on the subject.

I was surprised by what an intense film experience The Intruder turned out to be. Even being a seasoned viewer of some very brutal films, I winced a few times at just how provocatively Corman's film displayed ignorance, racism, and senseless violence. This is no watered down, sappy ending Oscar hopeful by any means. It was clearly made to show the shocking and depressing reality of bigotry and racism in our country, as well as the violence seething underneath. The film is as timely as ever, and while we may have shifted our bigotry to accomodate the needs of the time, it is quite clear that the seeds of hate are easily planted and nurtured with heaping helpings of fear with a sly smile.

William Shatner shines as opportunistic racist Adam Cramer, newly arrived via bus to a small town in Missouri. A likeable fellow, he introduces himself to various folks as a "reformist". From the get go, he prods the townsfolk to gauge their feelings about integration, equal rights, and the black citizens in general. To his delight, he finds that most of the population harbor prejudice of some sort, and are strictly against the integration about to take place in their own town. Cramer, full of polish and confidence, quickly seduces the daughter of local press man Tom McDaniel (Frank Maxwell), as well as Vi, the wife of travelling salesman Sam Griffin. Cramer's charisma carries him to incite mob violence in a town torn between their own inherint racism and the law of the land. He positions himself in the ranks of those in power, and finds it very easy to manipulate the entire town to get what he wants. Once the wheels are set in motion, Cramer receives resistance from McDaniel who proves a constant thorn in Cramer's side. McDaniel is rewarded for his outspokeness with a terrible beating at the hands of some of the more mean-spirited good ole boys. Cramer employs the help of the KKK to push the town over into chaos, culminating in a near lynching of an innocent black student.

It's a crime that The Intruder isn't more recognized and respected in the film world. Corman put up his own money to make this serious and thoughtful political film only to have it relegated as an afterthought in his career. It's quite a potent piece of work and is certainly due for a revival, especially as our country is stirred into a frenzy by any number of nutjobs out preaching hate against immigrants, the gay community, or anyone else deemed "different" or "scary".

The Intruder Trailer

THE INTRUDER: Movie Trailer. Watch more top selected videos about: William Shatner, Jeanne Cooper

Nightjack: The Advantages of Multiple Personality Disorder in Fighting Off Assassins

Nightjack (2010)
Author: Tom Piccirilli
Publisher: Crossroad Press
Tom Piccirilli Official Site
188 pp

Review Author: Chris Hallock

Like the chameleon altering its paint job to deal with stress or to fool predators, humans are equipped with their own coping camouflage. Each of us is capable of adapting to most reasonable situations by simply adjusting our personality to suit the moment. It's a survival technique that allows us to shape ourselves in response to a variety of people and environments. But what if we had the ability to summon from within a completely disparate personality to deal with a seemingly insurmountable challenge or trauma? Say it was a challenge we’d normally be ill-equipped or even totally incapable of tackling. Yet, this deep-seeded personality, almost an alter-ego, somehow possessed all the skill to deal with it swiftly and effectively.

This is the concept explored by Tom Piccirilli (Shadow Season, The Night Class) in his latest novel Nightjack, a sort of film noir influenced crime thriller by way of some mind-bending Matt Ruff or Philip K. Dick notions of multiple personality, the effects of mind altering drugs, and how those factors might help or hinder you in battling would-be assassins. Piccirilli has crafted a page turner that satisfies those looking for a little cerebral workout with their violent action. At a very trim 188 pages, there is never a dull moment, but there is also enough depth to keep one intellectually engaged.

William Pacella is a patient at the Garden Falls Psychiatric Facility in New York. His memory is in tatters due to the unorthodox treatments and drugs he's received under the care of Dr. Maureen Brandt. He suffers from multiple personality disorder, ending up in the hospital on his own accord, though he has no recollection of admitting himself. He receives flashes of memory revealing that his wife, Jane, was killed in a fire, possibly murdered by a gang of thugs under the direction of crime boss Joe Ganucci. Now driven by revenge, further complications arise when Pacella discovers he houses numerous personalities, referred to on occasion as “alternatives”. The more volatile alternatives may be responsible for his recent violent outbursts in the hospital. His "split" is theorized to be caused by the extreme stress and grief of witnessing his wife's death. Everything is exacerbated by the alternative’s desire for autonomy and Pacella’s own personal vendetta.

The problem faced by our protagonist is that while he does harbor a number of useful split personalities, he doesn't have much control once one has been activated. In fact, the bulk of the narrative focuses more on Pace, one of Pacella's more dominant personalities. Pace’s role is akin to something like a custodian of Pacella’s body while Pacella himself has retreated somewhere within. Pacella regresses to an almost dream state of flashbacks and memories when a personality is called up, becoming disassociated and depersonalized while the alternative takes over. Pace, on the other hand, seems to act as caretaker, an “In-Between Man”, keeping the more dangerous ones at bay and generally keeping things from crashing. He somehow has the unique ability to communicate with the alternates, cooperating with the more amiable to piece together the puzzle. Unfortunately, when the full power of an alternative is unleashed, Pace/Pacella has little power to stop the machine in motion. They are often unaware a change has taken place until presented with evidence of the aftermath. In those moments of fugue, the personalities have a tendency to deal in sudden violence or worse. The biggest offender is Jack, also known as "Nightjack", a bloodthirsty and impetuous killer with a passion for knives. Keeping Jack under control has proven the most difficult task for Pace, and one getting increasingly more difficult.

With hesitation on the part of Dr. Brandt, we find Pacella about to be released from her care to live a "normal" life on the outside. The hospital has a home and job lined up for him at a nearby fish cannery. Boredom, loneliness, television, and strict prohibitions are his only forseeable future. That is until he and Dr. Brandt are taken by a group of former Garden Falls patients. They have plans for Pace, and hope he can shed light on harassment from Alexander Kaltzas, a vengeful shipping tycoon. Kaltzas believes the group is responsible for the brutal rape of his daughter Cassandra while she, too, was a patient at the hospital. The group look toward Pace as leader or father figure to guide them. They make it no secret that they wish to utilize Jack and a number of Pace's other personalities to survive the ordeal. Once a chain of events are set in motion, they travel together to Greece for a confrontation with the mysterious and deadly Kaltzas.

It would be impossible for me to spell out much more in a simple synopsis, and I don't want to give much more away than I have already. The story gets increasingly layered and complex as we are introduced to a myriad of characters, most of whom also have multiple personalities. There's the intelligent and ruthless Hayden; Pia, who uses her sexual allure like a spider trapping its prey; and Faust, the spiritual one with the angels Rimmen and Sariel balancing on his shoulders. Dr. Brandt may be harboring her own secret agenda. Then there is the cast of Pacella's personalities, including the psychotic Jack, Sam the resourceful private dick, and Irish boxer Jimmy Boyd, to name but a few. Fortunately, each character is quite distinct, and it never feels frustrating to keep up with them all.

I enjoyed Nightjack quite a bit. It’s a tightly wound, perfectly paced, and fascinating story that explores the effects of trauma and how it can be channeled into something constructive, destructive, or both. Piccirilli never lets things get confusing in terms of timelines. When he jumps from reality to memory flashbacks, it is very clear where we are in the moment. The same can be said for alternating between the personalities of each character. It would have been very easy to let the story get bogged down by these frequent changes, but Piccirilli allows us to adapt in our own way to the ever tightening evolution of the book. What at first appears as a straightforward narrative about sanity vs. insanity soon turns into a treatise on the power and fragility of the mind.

My Double Feature for this Weekend: The Intruder and Eating Raoul

I'll be spending a little time this weekend catching up with some cult favorites that have somehow eluded me in my life. I decided to make a double feature of it, which is always a great way to spend a weekend afternoon or evening. Luckily, my local library is well-stocked in a number of great classics, and I was easily able to locate DVD copies of both films.

First up is Roger Corman's critically acclaimed commentary on racism, 1962's The Intruder. Starring William Shatner, the film follows the expoits of racist "reformer" Adam Cramer as he attempts to thwart de-segretation in schools in a small southern town. I'm a huge fan of Corman's Poe adaptations, and it will be great to see what he does here with something that is completely opposite of those old horror classics.

The Intruder Trailer

THE INTRUDER: Movie Trailer. Watch more top selected videos about: Movie Trailers, The Intruder (1962 film)

Next Up: Riding the coattails of John Waters-inspired outrageous suburban/urban dark comedy is Paul Bartel's 1982 cult hit Eating Raoul. In this bizzare film, a couple discover a way to raise money to increase their social "status" by killing swingers in their apartment building. The film starts Bartel along with Mary Waronov (Night of the Comet, House of the Devil) as boring, but murderous couple Paul and Mary Bland.

Eating Raoul Trailer