Displaying items by tag: Taher Rahim

MONSIEUR AZNAVOUR

France, 2024, 133 minutes, Colour.

Tahar Rahim, Bastien Bouillon, Marie-Julie Baup.

Directed by Mehdi Idir, Grand Corps Malade.

French singer and entertainer, Charles’s novel, was born in 1924 and died in 2018. He was a celebrity for more than half of the 20^th century, and continued as a celebrity well into the 21^st-century. He was a significant figure in French culture, but also well-nine internationally, a collaborator with many sinners and a contributor to social awareness and humanitarian causes.

While the film is over two hours, it is still only an overview of the life and career of a snowball, the outline of his life, born in France to an Armenian family, growing up in Paris of the 1920s and 1930s, the experiences during World War II, the sheltering of Jews, his talent when on stage, his singing, the encounters during the 1940s, opening up all kinds of possibilities for his life – which he followed through.

While there is admiration for as an of or throughout the film, there is something of an implicit critique of him and his vision for his life, his stating that his career was the most important thing in his life, more important than any relationships. To that extent, he was single-minded, sometimes ruthless in his breaking of relationships. The film does not emphasise his humanitarian concern and public commitments which would modify the thought that the film is asking the gospel question, “what does it profit to gain the whole world and lose one’s soul?”.

Projector, Tahir Rahim, made a significant impression in 2010 in The Prophet. Since then he has had a very significant career in film and television, French films as well as international films. He enters into the persona of a snowball, his appearance, his manner and style, impersonating his answers, his singing, certainly bringing others and of all alive.

A great deal of time is spent on a snowball and his singing, his collaboration with composer and pianist, peer Roush, the encounter with Edith Piaf and her encouragement, his opening for her on tours, going to the Americas with her. There is also the story of his encounter at a performance with his first wife, their daughter, his stating to her that career was the murder most important thing in his life.

Paragraph with Roush, he was very successful, and jaunty style and popular songs. But, this was not enough. He continued to compose, over 1000 songs eventually, seen in the stair stack of red notebooks containing them. But, popularity waned, he was taunted about his appearance, height, raspy voice – and composed a series of songs which were highly personal dramatising this crisis. He went into performance, is that he did not communicate but was met with a standing ovation and acclamation. He never looked back.

As Nepal appeared in films, especially Frost/Truffaut’s captured the Pianist. The film shows his work with a number of writers, producers, his many recordings. There is his venture further to the United States, rivalling Frank Sinatra. (It is worth checking in Wikipedia to see the names of so many singers with whom he collaborated including placid Domingo, Pavarotti, Frank Sinatra, Liza Minnelli…).

In the 1960s, as Nepal encountered a Swedish model, Ulla, who wanted marriage and family. And, ultimately, this he achieved, for many decades.

An important opportunity for audiences to get to know something of Charles as Nepal as well as to hear him singing and to appreciate the impact of the wide range of his songs.

1. Audience knowledge of Charles Aznavour? Entertainer, singer, in France, international reputation? International humanitarian and political causes? Dying in 2018?
2. Tahar Rahim and his acting reputation, career, impersonation of CA, personality, singing, performance style, idiosyncrasies?
3. Aznavour and his vast number of songs, their incorporation into the screenplay, the range and style, the lyrics, the narratives, reflecting his life, the stages of his life? The dramatic effect?
4. The chronology of the story of Aznavour, the chapters, short at the beginning, longer? The difficulty of the screenplay not specifying particular times in decades, audiences trying to place Aznavour’s career and developments?
5. The visuals, the first chapter and Paris, the poorer quarters, the Armenian families, restaurants, clubs? The second chapter and Aznavour growing up, at home, his talent, the audition, on stage, applause? The affirmation of his family?
6. The portrait of the family, devoted father and mother, continued support, his relationship with his sister, her continued support, her own career over the years?
7. The war, occupied Paris, Aznavour in his teens, singing, entertaining? The sheltering of the Jews, the Germans arriving, Aznavour hiding in the hotel opposite? Seeing the Jews transported? The atmosphere of the war, surviving in Paris, ordinary life trying to go on?
8. Aznavour and his voice, raspy, his appearance, comments on his nose, short? Sometimes a disadvantage? The encounter with Pierre Rouche? His skills, piano, lyrics? Friendship, working together, appearing together, duets, success? Aznavour building up his career, charm?
9. The encounter with Edith Piaf, her personality, her success, singing and style, in the streets, concerts, tours, after the war, to Canada, to the US? The encounter with Aznavour, her being intrigued, friendship, going on tour to introduce her, their being late for the train, on the bus, early, the performances? Not enough for Aznavour? Going to North America, getting the money, the travel, the visa issues, Ellis Island, singing and the approval to get in? Their work in Canada, the clubs, promotion? But not enough, Pierre wanting to stay, to marry? Aznavour going back to France?
10. Singing in the clubs, meeting Charles Trenet, meeting the songwriters, his clicking with people? The song, the mother and daughter, the daughter singing, the attraction, marrying, their daughter, his being absent, indications of womanising, his wife left alone, with the daughter, his visits, distant, the separation? Further relationship with his daughter?
11. The hard times, the clubs, people not listening, his continuing to compose? The further encounters with Edith Piaf?
12. The film highlighting his focus on himself, self-absorption, wanting to be at the top, the continued support of his family, his declaring that his career was the most important thing in life, the drama of achieving fame, eventually achieving it, in America, Frank Sinatra, nationally, the tours, reputation, Hollywood star, awards? Yet his restlessness despite his prosperity, wealth, luxury home? Affairs? The encounter with Ulla, clash, Swedish, her returning, eventually getting together, wanting marriage, children, the relationship with her over the decades?
13. His desperation, people ridiculing him, the discussions with the writers, the producers, meeting up again with Pierre? The ridicule, the composition of his autobiographical song, the important night of his life, the performance, the orchestra, his intensity, the self-revelation, behind the curtain, thinking it failed, urged to go out on bail, the acclamation?
14. His successful career, the range of singers that he performed with over the decades, the encounter with Frank Sinatra, his salary?
15. The film not indicating so much the political causes as well as a humanitarian commitment?
16. The long life, recognition and reputation, the concerts, the number of records sold, the thousands of songs, his film appearances…?
17. But implication in the screenplay of gaining the whole world and losing something of oneself?

MADAME WEBB

US, 2024, 117 minutes, Colour.

Dakota Johnson, Sydney Sweeney, Isabella Merced, Celeste O'Connor, Tahar Rahim, Emma Roberts, Adam Scott, Mike Epps.

Directed by S.J.Clarkson.

This tale is almost the exact opposite of the Marvel Universe adventures. It is the villain who has the powers – and the lead, Dakota Johnson as Cassie Webb, has no superpowers except for some anticipatory glimpses of the future. As she says, she can see the future, “kind of…”.

This film was produced by Sony which seems to have the rights to Marvel stories connected with spiders, all the Spiderman films, the Venom films as well as Morbius. And, at one stage, someone does a riff on the well-known statement, this time the great responsibility has power!

This time Marvel has given us something of a Girls Night Out show – not too much to appeal to macho Marvel fans.

This is the Tale of the Threatened Three, three initially annoying and self-preoccupied 16 or so-year-olds (which does continue for a bit), targeted by a power-hungry maniac. His played by Tahar Rahim, a long way away from his excellent roles in French films. It is he who is the Spiderman variation, costume, mask, climbing walls, walking upside down on roofs, leaps from vehicle to vehicle – but no web.

Cassie Webb is an efficient New York fire department paramedic, working alongside the very nice Adam Scott whose sister-in-law, Emma Roberts, is pregnant and will provide an urgent setting for the climax. But Cassie has some strange hallucinatory moments, déjà vu as reality catches up with her glimpses. An accidental falling into the river in a locked ambulance leads to mysterious underwater lights and experiences. She doesn’t know why.

But, we do. We have seen the prologue to the film, in Peru, 30 years earlier, her pregnant mother searching for an exotic spider with mysterious healing powers. She is betrayed by her partner, Ezechiel (Rahim) who makes off with the spider, but has visions of three teenagers who will threaten his life. He has amassed a city-wide super surveillance system and goes in pursuit.

At one stage, Cassie trains the girls in CPR. Seems a bit tame – but, of course, it will be a key to saving Cassie after Ezechiel goes up in a spectacular explosion in a large fireworks factory – and crushed by a huge Pepsi Cola sign – Sony and Pepsi have an extensive promotion contract and business partnership.

Pregnant mothers and daughters, baby showers, teenagers flirting, female heroics…, As Marvel Universe tales go, a bit moderate.

1. The Marvel Universe, a different perspective, female perspective, different presentation of superpowers?
2. The film’s failure at the box office, the decline of the Marvel films?
3. The reworking of the plot from the comics, the focus on Cassie, age 30, not having superpowers, strong personality, working with the New York fire department, paramedic, Ben, collaboration, driving, tending the wounded, banter? Responsibilities? Establishing her character, strong, then the moments of clairvoyance, déjà vu as reality catches up? A different lead for the Marvel Universe?
4. The prologue, Peru, 1973, constant, pregnant, working with Ezekiel, the search for the spider, her finding one, the betrayal by Ezekiel, his violence, his escape with the spider? The local people, the spider people and their appearance, the shaman, her giving birth, her death? The baby in the water and the mysterious light and atmosphere?
5. Ezekiel, 30 years later, his power, the elaborate surveillance system and his assistant, his vision of the three teenagers who will destroy him? His quest to find them?
6. Cassie, the female atmosphere, the baby shower, the guessing game, her reluctance? The introduction to Mary, Ben’s care of her, Mary later appearing, about to give birth, the ambulance, the crisis?
7. The clairvoyance, seeing the future, a kind of…? Her bewilderment? Trapped in the ambulance, into the river, the water, the lights, the effect on her?
8. Cassie, the subway, finding the three girls, the threats, Ezekiel as the Spiderman variation, the pursuit? His vengeance?
9. Cassie, with the three girls, their age, self-preoccupation, irritating to Cassie and the audience? Taking the cab, the bewildered driver, out into the countryside, telling them to stay? Her going to research her mother’s notes?
10. The three girls, the different personalities, their backgrounds, neglected by their parents, selfish? The influence of each on the other? The decision to go to the diner, the food, flirting with the boys, dancing? Cassie, the research, returning, crashing the car into the diner, taking the girls, hiding them? Their becoming more compliant?
11. Cassie and the trip to Peru, the bus, the countryside, the encounter with the shaman, learning the truth about her mother, her potential illness, the mother looking for the spider, to help Cassie’s health? The promise of the shaman to continue to help her?
12. Ezekiel, on the trains, leaping from vehicle to vehicle, on the roof…? No web!
13. The hospital emergency, the ambulance, making all the light screen, the crashes, Mary and the birth of the baby?
14. The buildup to the climax, Cassie taking the girls to the previous site of the explosion, the fireworks factory? Setting up Ezekiel? And the request for the helicopter for the rescue?
15. The climax, the fights, the confrontations, the girls, Cassie, memories of her mother, the fights, the explosions, the Pepsi Cola sign, crashing Ezekiel?
16. All reconciled? Cassie and her future? Seeming indications of the three girls and superpowers, and the link with Madame Web?