The Fall
Directed by: Tarsem Singh
Starring: Lee Pace, Cantinca Untaru
Rated: R for some violent images
Starring: Lee Pace, Cantinca Untaru
Rated: R for some violent images
One of the joys of watching film is when you stumble upon a relatively unknown film that takes your breath away and brings tears of joy to your eyes. Tarsem Singh's 2006 film The Fall is the latest one such experiences, and immediately jumped from a film that I had never heard of to one of the greatest cinematic experiences of my life. The film is set in a Los Angeles hospital, where Alexandria, a five-year old Mexican girl with a broken arm befriends Roy, an injured and depressed stunt man. As a way of getting Alexandria to bring him drugs needed to "kill his pain", Roy b
egins to build a relationship with her by telling her an epic fairy tale of vengeance. This allows the relatively resume-less Tarsem, who financed the film himself, free reign with his creativity, and he delivers one of the most beautiful and creative films to date, from the opening credits to the closing shots. With nothing but cinematic genius, the story is wonderfully and beautifully shot by Colin Watkinson, with perhaps some the greatest cinematography I've ever seen on film. The landscapes are wonderful, the effects are mind-bending, and the score (which utilizes Beethoven's Symphony #VII) is purely magnificent. However, as the tale starts to resemble Roy and Alexandria's lives, the story becomes weightier than one could ever imagine. This highly artistic fairy tale is actually a story of redemption and the value of life, even for those who don't deserve it. Even for those whose scene is a split-second stunt that no one notices before it's over. Because, in the end, someone does care. Someone loves you unconditionally, despite your many faults or your mere split-second performance. What makes The Fall a masterpiece (and I am not using that word lightly) is not only the beauty of how the story is told but it's message that, because of someone's unconditional love for you, you are more than a fairy-tale hero ever could be.
egins to build a relationship with her by telling her an epic fairy tale of vengeance. This allows the relatively resume-less Tarsem, who financed the film himself, free reign with his creativity, and he delivers one of the most beautiful and creative films to date, from the opening credits to the closing shots. With nothing but cinematic genius, the story is wonderfully and beautifully shot by Colin Watkinson, with perhaps some the greatest cinematography I've ever seen on film. The landscapes are wonderful, the effects are mind-bending, and the score (which utilizes Beethoven's Symphony #VII) is purely magnificent. However, as the tale starts to resemble Roy and Alexandria's lives, the story becomes weightier than one could ever imagine. This highly artistic fairy tale is actually a story of redemption and the value of life, even for those who don't deserve it. Even for those whose scene is a split-second stunt that no one notices before it's over. Because, in the end, someone does care. Someone loves you unconditionally, despite your many faults or your mere split-second performance. What makes The Fall a masterpiece (and I am not using that word lightly) is not only the beauty of how the story is told but it's message that, because of someone's unconditional love for you, you are more than a fairy-tale hero ever could be.Watch the Trailer here:
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