Rob Roy
(With being ill and everything I haven't had the energy for proper participation, but over the last few months I've been watching a few random films, so I figure I should do some reviews!)
Rob Roy
Last night we watched Rob Roy, which was released in 1995 and is a film I remember well from my childhood. Well, teenagerhood, let's say. In fact, in the good old days I had quite a crush on Brian McCardie, who plays Rob's younger brother, Alistair (and who nowadays invariably turns up as a baddie in Scottish-based dramas!). Now I find myself watching Liam Neeson intently[1], which is perhaps a sign of growing up (?).
If you have never seen this film, you should - I would recommend it unreservedly to anyone, and indeed, I think it's much much better than Braveheart (with which it was very often compared because they were released in the same year). Of course, it was Braveheart that got the Oscar glory, but Rob Roy is a much more grown up, intelligent and emotional film, complete with superb acting and breathtaking scenery[2].
Liam Neeson is an excellent lead (see n.1!), and the acting support is also on fine form - notably a wonderfully nasty Tim Roth and John Hurt, Brian Cox playing a conniving factor, and Andrew Keir as the Duke of Argyll. Jessica Lange also turns in a strong performance as Rob's wife, who is very much a victim of circumstances. The story is one of a wronged man of honour and his quest to right those wrongs, which of course makes it a very classic tale, but it is also believable and well done. (There are some divergences from the historical tale and Scott's telling of it, but I won't spoil it for you!)
It's also worth watching just for the majestic score by Carter Burwell. The main theme tune in particular is one that pulls on the heartstrings and stays in your head long after you've seen the movie. Somehow it suits the stunning Scottish scenery perfectly. There is also a rather haunting rendition of Ailein duinn, which by some clever cutting accompanies a significant scene (but again I won't spoil it for you).
One thing I'd forgotten since watching the film as a child is that it's a very sexy film. I remember being faintly embarrassed by the sex scenes between Rob and Mary - well, what teenager isn't? But connecting with it as an adult, I find those scenes very sensual and attractive. They're based on love between a married couple, and they don't involve exposing much flesh or anything very explicit - and that's what makes them so sexy. They lay down a foundation in which sexual violence and violation, which becomes a theme of the film, are intolerable. And they contribute to the rounding of Rob's character, a foil to the stereotype of the honour-obsessed Scotsman trying desperately not to be in the thrall of lords and Englishmen.
Anyway, I suppose most of you have already seen it, but if you haven't then I can't imagine anyone not enjoying it, so do give it a go. My one complaint (apart from the one about Eric Stoltz's Scottish accent, which is a bit off!) is that the DVD that I recently ordered from play.com is in extreme widescreen and its ratio can't be changed. So I was left squinting at the TV screen and wishing my old video of it hadn't gone mouldy. The only good point about the DVD is that it has dubbing for the film in several languages, so it was quite fun trying it out with Spanish dubbed voices. Maybe a good tactic for language learning!
But there are no faults with the film itself. Rob Roy deserves a bit of hyperbole, so let's just say that it's classic, epic, exciting, well acted, engaging, interesting, beautiful and generally wonderful.
[1] This isn't really a crush, it's just that I feel about Liam Neeson very similarly to the way I feel about Harrison Ford - incredible actor, interesting, good looking, convincing, everything a hero should be.
[2] And NB Rob Roy was actually filmed in Scotland, unlike Braveheart!
Rob Roy
Last night we watched Rob Roy, which was released in 1995 and is a film I remember well from my childhood. Well, teenagerhood, let's say. In fact, in the good old days I had quite a crush on Brian McCardie, who plays Rob's younger brother, Alistair (and who nowadays invariably turns up as a baddie in Scottish-based dramas!). Now I find myself watching Liam Neeson intently[1], which is perhaps a sign of growing up (?).
If you have never seen this film, you should - I would recommend it unreservedly to anyone, and indeed, I think it's much much better than Braveheart (with which it was very often compared because they were released in the same year). Of course, it was Braveheart that got the Oscar glory, but Rob Roy is a much more grown up, intelligent and emotional film, complete with superb acting and breathtaking scenery[2].
Liam Neeson is an excellent lead (see n.1!), and the acting support is also on fine form - notably a wonderfully nasty Tim Roth and John Hurt, Brian Cox playing a conniving factor, and Andrew Keir as the Duke of Argyll. Jessica Lange also turns in a strong performance as Rob's wife, who is very much a victim of circumstances. The story is one of a wronged man of honour and his quest to right those wrongs, which of course makes it a very classic tale, but it is also believable and well done. (There are some divergences from the historical tale and Scott's telling of it, but I won't spoil it for you!)
It's also worth watching just for the majestic score by Carter Burwell. The main theme tune in particular is one that pulls on the heartstrings and stays in your head long after you've seen the movie. Somehow it suits the stunning Scottish scenery perfectly. There is also a rather haunting rendition of Ailein duinn, which by some clever cutting accompanies a significant scene (but again I won't spoil it for you).
One thing I'd forgotten since watching the film as a child is that it's a very sexy film. I remember being faintly embarrassed by the sex scenes between Rob and Mary - well, what teenager isn't? But connecting with it as an adult, I find those scenes very sensual and attractive. They're based on love between a married couple, and they don't involve exposing much flesh or anything very explicit - and that's what makes them so sexy. They lay down a foundation in which sexual violence and violation, which becomes a theme of the film, are intolerable. And they contribute to the rounding of Rob's character, a foil to the stereotype of the honour-obsessed Scotsman trying desperately not to be in the thrall of lords and Englishmen.
Anyway, I suppose most of you have already seen it, but if you haven't then I can't imagine anyone not enjoying it, so do give it a go. My one complaint (apart from the one about Eric Stoltz's Scottish accent, which is a bit off!) is that the DVD that I recently ordered from play.com is in extreme widescreen and its ratio can't be changed. So I was left squinting at the TV screen and wishing my old video of it hadn't gone mouldy. The only good point about the DVD is that it has dubbing for the film in several languages, so it was quite fun trying it out with Spanish dubbed voices. Maybe a good tactic for language learning!
But there are no faults with the film itself. Rob Roy deserves a bit of hyperbole, so let's just say that it's classic, epic, exciting, well acted, engaging, interesting, beautiful and generally wonderful.
[1] This isn't really a crush, it's just that I feel about Liam Neeson very similarly to the way I feel about Harrison Ford - incredible actor, interesting, good looking, convincing, everything a hero should be.
[2] And NB Rob Roy was actually filmed in Scotland, unlike Braveheart!