David O'ConnellBRONSON @ The Melbourne International Film Festival
August 3rd 2009 05:31
A visionary biopic about the most notorious prisoner in England, Nicolas Winding Refn’s Bronson is easily the most remarkable film to arrive at the Festival so far. Born Michael Peterson, and portrayed on screen by the unforgettable Tom Hardy, Charles Bronson’s name change in 1987 was spurned by a consuming desire to legitimize his persona in a quest for fame or - if need be - infamy. Seeking a larger-than-life identity, he settled on one of cinema’s prototypical tough men. His life of servitude has now stretched over 34 years in the British penal system with 30 of those years spent in solitary confinement.
Refn, the acclaimed Danish director with a reputation forged in grit and blood through his nihilistic Pusher trilogy, embarks upon a non-naturalistic relaying of this violent, deeply disturbed man’s life. It works to stunning effect. In lieu of a traditional narrative or story-telling devices, Refn carves out blissfully fresh cinematic ground: a combination of straight-to-camera rants and intermittent retellings of Bronson’s various escapades, including a childhood in Luton, his deluded flirtation with a woman, ongoing epic battles with authority - all interpreted, at times, through mockingly vaudevillian recounting.
Bronson’s life is blown up into one outrageous production geared toward drawing the eyes of the world to his egomaniacal worldview. From beginning to end, it’s like a rollercoaster stage show, an absurdist pantomime, and yet somehow the man comes across as vaguely empathetic.
Above all is Bronson’s burning need to be in the one place allowing him to highlight his demented purpose: in a prison cell. Unable to function outside for long, he pines for his “hotel room” behind bars where confrontation is a craving that sustains his untameable spirit.
How many directors these days have the courage to change the format of story-telling, to defy every convention, every pitfall that mainstream malpractitioners are too lazy to step over, and turn the artform on its head? Refn’s film is a true original. Uncompromising with every creative choice, his inspired use of classical music – and lots of it - heightens the film with the bloated operatic sense that drives Bronson’s darkest imaginings whilst giving it an intoxicating, dreamy sense of unreality at times. A twist of Brit pop, via The Pet Shop Boys' It's a Sin, adds spice to an asylum scene as well.
Every reviewer who sees this film will be compelled to label Tom Hardy’s performance as “a tour–de-force”. I don’t know how you could describe it any other way. He inhabits Bronson like a virus – the intimidating physicality and booming voice - scorching the screen with the man's rage, his flamboyance, his passion, his delusions of grandeur.
Bronson is a remarkable film, filmed with the same authentic detail on a limited budget that has marked the director's previous work. In years to come, it's destined to be seen for the blistering one-of-a kind masterpiece that it is.
20 minutes in, stunned by the force of Refn’s stylistic approach, I was wondering how he could possibly sustain this bizarre, performance-art-as-cinema ride for 90 minutes. But by the end, wallowing in the shimmering, surrealism of the closing scenes - including an animated interlude evolving from the real Bronson's art - a part of me was almost convinced that I’d witnessed a work approaching the realms of genius.
*****I also attended a one-hour In Conversation with the director prior to the screening. A great insight into his approach – though little preparing me for the astonishing assault on the senses to come - Refn spoke about such matters as the strange affinity he felt towards Bronson as a man, the influence of Kenneth Anger in shaping peripheral elements of the story, and the initial despise he and Tom Hardy shared for one another upon first meeting. Jason Statham and Guy Pearce were next considered for the role before the chameleonic Hardy’s name was reluctantly dragged to the surface again - finally, and fortunately too obvious a choice to ignore for this prize role.
Refn, the acclaimed Danish director with a reputation forged in grit and blood through his nihilistic Pusher trilogy, embarks upon a non-naturalistic relaying of this violent, deeply disturbed man’s life. It works to stunning effect. In lieu of a traditional narrative or story-telling devices, Refn carves out blissfully fresh cinematic ground: a combination of straight-to-camera rants and intermittent retellings of Bronson’s various escapades, including a childhood in Luton, his deluded flirtation with a woman, ongoing epic battles with authority - all interpreted, at times, through mockingly vaudevillian recounting.
Bronson’s life is blown up into one outrageous production geared toward drawing the eyes of the world to his egomaniacal worldview. From beginning to end, it’s like a rollercoaster stage show, an absurdist pantomime, and yet somehow the man comes across as vaguely empathetic.
Above all is Bronson’s burning need to be in the one place allowing him to highlight his demented purpose: in a prison cell. Unable to function outside for long, he pines for his “hotel room” behind bars where confrontation is a craving that sustains his untameable spirit.
Tom Hardy as Bronson
How many directors these days have the courage to change the format of story-telling, to defy every convention, every pitfall that mainstream malpractitioners are too lazy to step over, and turn the artform on its head? Refn’s film is a true original. Uncompromising with every creative choice, his inspired use of classical music – and lots of it - heightens the film with the bloated operatic sense that drives Bronson’s darkest imaginings whilst giving it an intoxicating, dreamy sense of unreality at times. A twist of Brit pop, via The Pet Shop Boys' It's a Sin, adds spice to an asylum scene as well.
Every reviewer who sees this film will be compelled to label Tom Hardy’s performance as “a tour–de-force”. I don’t know how you could describe it any other way. He inhabits Bronson like a virus – the intimidating physicality and booming voice - scorching the screen with the man's rage, his flamboyance, his passion, his delusions of grandeur.
Bronson is a remarkable film, filmed with the same authentic detail on a limited budget that has marked the director's previous work. In years to come, it's destined to be seen for the blistering one-of-a kind masterpiece that it is.
20 minutes in, stunned by the force of Refn’s stylistic approach, I was wondering how he could possibly sustain this bizarre, performance-art-as-cinema ride for 90 minutes. But by the end, wallowing in the shimmering, surrealism of the closing scenes - including an animated interlude evolving from the real Bronson's art - a part of me was almost convinced that I’d witnessed a work approaching the realms of genius.
*****I also attended a one-hour In Conversation with the director prior to the screening. A great insight into his approach – though little preparing me for the astonishing assault on the senses to come - Refn spoke about such matters as the strange affinity he felt towards Bronson as a man, the influence of Kenneth Anger in shaping peripheral elements of the story, and the initial despise he and Tom Hardy shared for one another upon first meeting. Jason Statham and Guy Pearce were next considered for the role before the chameleonic Hardy’s name was reluctantly dragged to the surface again - finally, and fortunately too obvious a choice to ignore for this prize role.
Tom Hardy out of character
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Comment by Matt Shea
20/20 Filmsight
Comment by Cinema Autopsy
Matt - don't worry. I got to interview the director on the weekend and he broke the news that Bronson is now getting an Australia-wide general release on 6th August through Madman Entertainment.
Comment by Matt Shea
20/20 Filmsight
Comment by David O'Connell
Screen Fanatic
It's really brilliant news about the general release Thomas! This film deserves to be seen by a wide audience. Be interested to see the At the Movies review to see if they concur with us.
I raved uncontrollably about it in my drooling review. I think it's easier to bag films sometimes!
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
Comment by David O'Connell
Screen Fanatic
Glad we agree on this one, Mr. Stratton's review last night showed him to be a little out of touch - how could he not at least admire the original means of transferring this story to the screen even if it's not his cup of tea?!
Nice work with Cult Projections too, I've bookmarked the site.
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
Comment by David O'Connell
Screen Fanatic
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile