Ok, since my last two reviews combined dealt with Snakes on a Jackass, lemmee rave on a film at the other end of the spectrum that ‘cleanses’ the artistic palette.Ashes and Snow by Gregory Colbert. If you’re an art director, an artist, a visual freak, film nut, whatever – this film is not to be missed. Stunning photography and composition, sparse soundtrack with a compelling narrative by Laurence Fishburne make this worth seeking out. (Larry, yes, I called him Larry – is one of the few actors I’d even pay to have read the phonebook and make it sound good.)
Sean Penn once said that film was too important a medium to waste. This film reinforces that point. The closest movie I can recall being as visual was maybe Hero, and even that doesn’t do this justice. Epic on a small scale, Snow is shot in cepia tones and slow-motion, and is a portrait of humans living alongside the animal kingdom. Is it a documentary? Commentary? Fiction? Know what? It could be all of these things.
Doesn’t matter. The opening scene rivals anything I’ve ever seen on film from a cinematic POV. Director Gregory Colbert based this film on the international exhibitions of his large-scale prints of animals he documented over the years through fictionalized letters from a man on a journey. A world-class photographer, Colbert took a decade off to travel around the world to shoot. (You can also read more on his and the film’s background here.)
Even the design of the freaking main menu screen is gorgeous. Problem is, Hollywood Video or Blockbuster don’t list it online as a rental, not that I’d expect they would, so you may have to buy it via the film’s website here, but be warned, it’s expensive. However, it may just be the only film I’d pay $50 to own. Definitely worth having in any film collection.
(Upping the art director porno content level: the DVD is also wrapped in a handmade bound cover made from ‘unique Nepalese paper’ finished with Beeswax. I said Beeswax people.) This ain’t your father’s jewel case, that’s for sure.
So yeah, um, like, two big thumbs up.
Tags: advertising, Ashes and Snow, Hero, Flying Elephants Foundation
3 comments:
That is stone cold wicked. Just viewing the tiny flash images made me weak. I want to see it on the big screen!
Oh, cool. Can't wait to see the film. We tried to go see the photo exhibit at the Nomadic Museum in NYC, but it was closing up for the day just as we were getting there. :(
Ok, this is going on my Gifts-to-Give-Myself list.
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