Name-that-Film-Filter:

November 21, 2009 5:52 PM

Name that Film-Filter: I'm trying to think of the name of a movie that I'd like to buy before the liquidation of a nearby Blockbuster comes to a close. High fantasy, vignettes, made less than five years ago.

Recollecting from the trailer: a girl is in a hospital (c. 1940's ???) where she begins to hear stories from a man (also there for treatment???) who recounts to her his ostensible journeys around the world. From what I could tell it involved many outlandish (fabricated???) vignettes, flashback style, but I don't know much more about the plot/setting other than my impression that it was a non-English speaking film. It should have been released within a few years after Pan's Labyrinth.

I mainly want to find it because of the visually stunning camera work and cinematography, which was touted during the trailer. Hopefully the hive mind will unblock mine!

posted by fook to media & arts (6 comments total)

The Fall.
posted by fish tick at 6:01 PM on November 21, 2009

The Fall? I discovered it accidentally while doing some research on Ota Benga, and have planned on watching it ever sense (I saw the beginning in a youtube clip or something once and it is something like what you are describing).
posted by idiopath at 6:03 PM on November 21, 2009

YES! I knew I was being thick.

I'd encountered Ota Benga's bio during one of those nights where it seems more fulfilling to wonderingly confront the endless facts held online than to rest, but had no idea it was included in the movie. Thanks! <------This is me excited to finally see it.
posted by fook at 6:12 PM on November 21, 2009

The Fall is indeed the film you are thinking of, and it is a fantastic film, one of my all-time favorites. It is an English-speaking film, with a few subtitled parts. It is one of the most -and possibly the most- visually stunning films I have ever seen. And all done without CGI. Be sure to watch the extras on the DVD for some fascinating material.

One little point, just as a heads-up: There is a character named Otto Benga, an ex-slave, but that's about all that is inspired by the Ota Benga story. However, the Ota Benga story does play a decent sized part in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.
posted by The Deej at 6:32 PM on November 21, 2009

If you like the look of The Fall, you might also like Tarsem Singh's other film, The Cell, which, while not as highly rated by the IMDB audience, has very striking visuals which are very similar, in some cases extremely similar, to those of The Fall. Vincent D'Onofrio plays a very twisted villain.
posted by spasm at 8:06 PM on November 21, 2009 [1 favorite]

If you're interested in the behind-the-scenes details of The Fall, you might enjoy the director's interview with A.V. Club. Dude is kinda nuts.

Contains some spoilers on his works, of course
posted by serathen at 11:18 AM on November 22, 2009