We think of film critics as independent, but as a 'man', they ridiculed and scorned Powell, even at the press review. In "Million dollar Movie", Powell quotes each review, which must have marked him forever. Yet we knew that his art was great, but because he was known for "The Red Shoes" and other refined movies, the critics unanimously reviled him. Could it be that the way he treats movie execs and directors in the movie itself could have been a partial reason? Those critics knew how true those egomaniacal tirades were.
I am a great believe in reality and there were too many situations in which I was expected to suspend reality. Most of those women knew they were in danger, but acted as though they were mesmerized by this shy focus puller. He wasn't even a cameraman, except in his ambitions.
Moira Shearer did a great job, but you can see the overly dramatic effect of those times in the way she set up , and over-acted. However, to be fair, that could have been just because she WAS a stand-in and would have over-acted in her role. Since this is a doll inside of a doll kind of movie, it was hard to tell when the movie was portraying an actual situation or when the movie was showing people in a movie.
The acting by the young man was superior and I am surprised we never heard from HIM again. Could it be that the insult to his future career was even worse than it was for Powell? And what about the women in Powell's life: Frankie and Pamela Brown? I have read Powell's memoir and nothing is said about the effect those women had on his production of this movie. YOu can tell by the documentary that making movies was Powell's life, yet the women seem to be placed in traditional roles of wife/mother and mistress.
Columba, Powell's son, is used as the psycho as a child. One wonders what happened to both Kevin and Columba, Powell's sons. When the nude scene was filmed, Powell had both the boys present at the shooting so they could see what a naked woman looked like (reminds me of a scene from 'Curb Your Enthusiasm", when the cancer-ridden boy has his "Make a Wish' turned down. So Larry David takes him to the Playboy mansion to see a naked woman. Powell preceded him in this act.
I am a great believe in reality and there were too many situations in which I was expected to suspend reality. Most of those women knew they were in danger, but acted as though they were mesmerized by this shy focus puller. He wasn't even a cameraman, except in his ambitions.
Moira Shearer did a great job, but you can see the overly dramatic effect of those times in the way she set up , and over-acted. However, to be fair, that could have been just because she WAS a stand-in and would have over-acted in her role. Since this is a doll inside of a doll kind of movie, it was hard to tell when the movie was portraying an actual situation or when the movie was showing people in a movie.
The acting by the young man was superior and I am surprised we never heard from HIM again. Could it be that the insult to his future career was even worse than it was for Powell? And what about the women in Powell's life: Frankie and Pamela Brown? I have read Powell's memoir and nothing is said about the effect those women had on his production of this movie. YOu can tell by the documentary that making movies was Powell's life, yet the women seem to be placed in traditional roles of wife/mother and mistress.
Columba, Powell's son, is used as the psycho as a child. One wonders what happened to both Kevin and Columba, Powell's sons. When the nude scene was filmed, Powell had both the boys present at the shooting so they could see what a naked woman looked like (reminds me of a scene from 'Curb Your Enthusiasm", when the cancer-ridden boy has his "Make a Wish' turned down. So Larry David takes him to the Playboy mansion to see a naked woman. Powell preceded him in this act.