Thursday, July 26, 2007
Ulzhan (105 min)
2007 Dir: Volker Schlöndorff
Stars: Philippe Torreton (Charles), Ayanat Ksenbai (Ulzhan), David Bennent (Shakuni)
A road movie, a character paly, a mysterious stranger in an unfamiliar land. Charles is a man on a mission he arrives in Kazarhstan by car, but is soon heading east by foot. Despite, or is it because of, his mission he shows little care for anything, his passport, possessions, life or those he meets. As with all road movies it is the journey that is important and a key part of the journey is the people encountered. Ulzhan and Shakuni areCharles’s 2 main encounters. Charles’s journey is not an action packed one (eg Thelma and Louise), nor is it serene (a la Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter and Spring). The fascination with this movie is what draws the characters together and scenes of Kazarhstan. Unfortunately what draws Ulzhan to Charles does not seem to have a discernable reason and this is a failing of the movie. There was also a short period near the end of the movie were it dragged. This occurred not long after some questions are answered, maybe it is the unanswered questions that hold you interest.
Why See It? You are interested in seeing the journey of a careless man.
2007 Dir: Volker Schlöndorff
Stars: Philippe Torreton (Charles), Ayanat Ksenbai (Ulzhan), David Bennent (Shakuni)
A road movie, a character paly, a mysterious stranger in an unfamiliar land. Charles is a man on a mission he arrives in Kazarhstan by car, but is soon heading east by foot. Despite, or is it because of, his mission he shows little care for anything, his passport, possessions, life or those he meets. As with all road movies it is the journey that is important and a key part of the journey is the people encountered. Ulzhan and Shakuni areCharles’s 2 main encounters. Charles’s journey is not an action packed one (eg Thelma and Louise), nor is it serene (a la Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter and Spring). The fascination with this movie is what draws the characters together and scenes of Kazarhstan. Unfortunately what draws Ulzhan to Charles does not seem to have a discernable reason and this is a failing of the movie. There was also a short period near the end of the movie were it dragged. This occurred not long after some questions are answered, maybe it is the unanswered questions that hold you interest.
Why See It? You are interested in seeing the journey of a careless man.
# posted by Dave @ 22:39 
