Found a little gem...(Following)

**pluckyduck** · #1 01-01-2002, 08:46 AM

"Gem" may be too strong a word, but it is an interesting and well done small film.

The movie is Following.

Here's a link on IMDB.

Here's a link on Epinions. (just one review written)

And here's the link on Netflix, in case you want to put it in que.

DH brought the DVD home from Blockbuster the other day and we watched it yesterday evening. (Woo hoo! Are we New Years Eve party animals or what???)

The fact that I found a well done, black and white film from the UK enjoyable is not particuarly shocking....I don't see nearly enough interesting films, having been caught in the Hollywood rut far too long. What was interesting was the DH picked it out and enjoyed it. Don is an interesting and intelligent man, but when it comes to books and movies he prefers formula to form. Definately a Hollywood man.

This movie though, uses non standard Hollywood techniques (black and white, plot revealed through non-chronolgical scenes, absolutely sparse exposition) to present a very interesting story, full of plot twists. The director, Christopher Nolan, left tons and tons on the editing room floor, creating an extremely tight 70 minutes.

Works on a few different levels, too. The plot itself, twists and turns, is worthy of "following"

. The character studies are fascinating -- sucks you into a world where deciding to follow people for the heck of it is logical. The film is (my opinion) beautiful, making use of techniques that scream Artsy Independent Film Look How Pretty I Am, but only uses the techniques that compliment the plot. Black and white tells the story better than color would. The non-chronological nature of the scenes serves the complete confusion of the main character.

Anyway, there's only one review on Epinions, so I figure a good bunch of you might have not seen the film. Worth a DVD rental, for sure.

Andrea
who is too lazy to write a review now, but just might later

Grouch · #2 01-01-2002, 01:02 PM

Amazing! Andrea and I must have been watching the same movie at the same time.

She's right, this is a terrific little film and if you can get your mitts on it, I suggest you do so immediately (especially if you're a film noir fan).

Of course, what Andrea forgot to mention is the fact that this was Christopher Nolan's first film. His second was Memento. Both are excellent examples of someone trying to restructure the language of film and the way we percieve stories.

Nolan's next project is Insomnia, which frankly I'm a little disappointed to hear about. It's a remake of a 1997 Norwegian film which was just about as perfect as you can get and I can see absolutely no reason to remake it. Hopefully, Nolan will do justice to the original material.

By the way, if you have the DVD of Following, the director's commentary is well worth listening to. Nolan discusses how he made this "no-budget" film using just four lights and filming in the apartments of the actors and Nolan's parents (the Young Man's apartment is actually actor Jeremy Theobald's London flat). I was also struck by the fact that nearly all of these actors were non-professionals and haven't done much else after Following.

One more thing, and then I'll shut up, take note of the picture of Marilyn Monroe in the Young Man's apartment, then take note of how The Blonde (Lucy Russell) is made up to look like MM. Nolan never really refers to this fact, but I found it interesting nonetheless.

**pluckyduck** · #3 01-01-2002, 06:46 PM

1) Cool beans! I just love a good EA cosmic connection!

2) I, er, didn't forget to mention Memento exactly, I avoided mentioning it because I haven't seen it and, um, I don't know a thing about the director...stick to what I know. Helps me not look foolish, or at least cut down on it.

3) Noticed the MM/leading lady similarity right off. Served, for me, as a shortcut to understanding the true nature of leading lady character...or at least making inferences about it. (Helpful shortcut in such a tight film.)

4) Missed

the commentary! DH returned DVD before I could watch it!

Oh well, there's always Netflix.

Andrea

**soxfan**[$] · #4 01-02-2002, 10:49 AM

I saw a trailer for this the other day, when I made my brother watch Memento with me. Thanks for the recommendations, guys.

Ailsa
wondering what are the chances of her finding Following at Blockbuster

**pluckyduck** · #5 01-02-2002, 02:13 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by soxfan
I saw a trailer for this the other day, when I made my brother watch Memento with me. Thanks for the recommendations, guys.

Ailsa
wondering what are the chances of her finding Following at Blockbuster

That's where we rented it...and it is listed on the main Blockbuster site.

Andrea
who is usually the one way behind the rest of the movie watching crowd

**soxfan**[$] · #6 01-02-2002, 02:28 PM

Cool. :thumbs: I'll have to look for it the next time I'm at the video place.

Plucky, you haven't seen Memento yet? What the heck are ya waitin' for?

Ailsa

**pluckyduck** · #7 01-02-2002, 06:45 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by soxfan
Cool. :thumbs: I'll have to look for it the next time I'm at the video place.

Plucky, you haven't seen Memento yet? What the heck are ya waitin' for?

Ailsa

I do everything

backwards.

Andrea
who will see Momento soon!

tipu · #8 01-02-2002, 07:06 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by pluckyduck

I do everything

backwards.

Andrea
who will see Momento soon!

!alley your up right be will Memento then backwards everything do ya if ...Andy Well

Like Ailsa, I saw the trailer for Following (reminded me of Aronofsky, probably just because it's in B&W) while watching Memento for the first time ever on the 29th...

... and i just had to watch it again this morning before rush-biking it over to Blockbastards before the noon return time to avoid late fees.

And i thought that i couldn't be so surprised or pleased by a film in December after i viewed Magnolia for the first time around the first week of the month...

... oh yea... along with Memento, i also ended up renting something i'd never heard of but the premise grabbed me right from the cover description... try it one of these days...

Wandafuru Raifu

(i love the sound of jaws hitting the floor)

**soxfan**[$] · #9 01-10-2002, 09:40 PM

Just saw this. Wow, wow, wow. :thumbs:

Very, very well-done, pulled me in and kept me guessing. I even spooked my roommate by yelling "No!" at a crucial plot juncture.

Ailsa
who's now added Following to the list of movies she tries to force on people