- Joined
- Jan 2, 2007
- Messages
- 1,067
IMDb page: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0396171/
When it comes to film, I have a very eclectic taste. While there are genres I like and dislike, there are always exceptions. However, the movies I regard the highest usually define 'genre' or at least step into multiple genres. Anything that tries something new is likely to appeal to me, even if I don't end up liking the film, I'll still be proud I saw something unique. Me good friend, Emma, who me and my wife are currently vacationing with, wanted to show me a film called Perfume: The storyof a murderer. It is one of those genre defying films, and is easily one of the most entrancing, disturbing, and yet unique films I have seen in some time.
The film is... hard to explain, but the set up involves a young boy, born in France under his mothers fish stall. Apparently he was something like the 4th child, but none of the others survived at birth. When the people around him heard him cry, they blamed her for trying to murder her child and blamed her for the deaths of the others. The baby is given the name of Jean-Baptiste Grenouille once taken to an orphanage after the hanging of his mother, and he does not speak for the first 5 years of his life. All his senses have somehow been dulled down, however, he was born with a superior extra-sensory olfactory sense, giving him the ability to smell things no other living creature can. He is soon sold from the Orphanage to a work group, and we first catch a glimpse of another oddity of him, a never-mentioned but quite clear curse: Whenever he leaves someone, they die. When he left his mothers presence, she was hung. When he left the orphanage, the matriarch was killed and robbed. He eventually learns of perfume, and women. He follows the entrancing smell of a young woman, and she becomes frightened. His simple mind does not allow him to comprehend what he is doing, however, he follows her into an alley to try and meet her but she begins to yell, and he smothers her to death. This same night, he learns of perfume, and soon meets a perfume maker in another part of France who is losing costumers to another in the business, and despite having doubts in Grenouille, he offers to begin teaching Grenouille the art of making perfume using his ability to smell any ingredient possible. His ultimate goal is to somehow find a way to make the ultimate perfume, based around the scent of a woman. It leads to a very disturbing, dark, yet very well constructed tale of a string of murders, simply for his project. The acting is incredible. There are a couple 'well knowns' such as Dustin Hoffman (Who plays the perfumist who teaches Grenouille early in the film) Alan Rickman (Who plays a large role in solving the murders of the women whilst trying to protect his own daughter) and John Hurt (Who is not seen, but narrates parts of the film), though many of the other actors and actresses you might not know, but almost everyone puts in a convincing performance. The story is constructed very well, despite a bizarre setting, it makes it plausible and cohesive. It suspends your disbelief that when the climax comes, you are willing to forgive the fact that in any other given circumstance it would seem pointless and odd. The scenes following, leading to the end of the film, is once again held together by the stories ability to suspend your disbelief. In the end, it is chilling how he is 'undone.'
The style and direction of the film equally matches the unique and bizarre premise. It is constructed very, very well, and gives a great presentation.
Explaining the film is very hard to do. It is one of those 'You have to see it to believe it' films. Its not a film everyone will dig, and it is certainly not for the prudish or for the children, and while there is little profanity or gore, there is quite a bit of disturbing (though oddly non-graphic) violence and heavily sexual overtones with a fair amount of nudity and one scene that... well, I can't really divulge information on it due to rules, plus it would be kind of a spoiler, but it goes along with the heavy sexuality displayed in the film. If you are open minded, and wishing to experience a unique, extremely slick film then Perfume is a must see. It defies genre and manages to be a disturbing, bizarre, and psychological experience yet at the same time, it tells a good story that may sound far fetched in a summary, but is made cohesive and believable with great attention to detail, solid acting, and great filmography and direction.
All in all, it is highly recommended for those with an open mind who want something different.
9.5/10
When it comes to film, I have a very eclectic taste. While there are genres I like and dislike, there are always exceptions. However, the movies I regard the highest usually define 'genre' or at least step into multiple genres. Anything that tries something new is likely to appeal to me, even if I don't end up liking the film, I'll still be proud I saw something unique. Me good friend, Emma, who me and my wife are currently vacationing with, wanted to show me a film called Perfume: The storyof a murderer. It is one of those genre defying films, and is easily one of the most entrancing, disturbing, and yet unique films I have seen in some time.
The film is... hard to explain, but the set up involves a young boy, born in France under his mothers fish stall. Apparently he was something like the 4th child, but none of the others survived at birth. When the people around him heard him cry, they blamed her for trying to murder her child and blamed her for the deaths of the others. The baby is given the name of Jean-Baptiste Grenouille once taken to an orphanage after the hanging of his mother, and he does not speak for the first 5 years of his life. All his senses have somehow been dulled down, however, he was born with a superior extra-sensory olfactory sense, giving him the ability to smell things no other living creature can. He is soon sold from the Orphanage to a work group, and we first catch a glimpse of another oddity of him, a never-mentioned but quite clear curse: Whenever he leaves someone, they die. When he left his mothers presence, she was hung. When he left the orphanage, the matriarch was killed and robbed. He eventually learns of perfume, and women. He follows the entrancing smell of a young woman, and she becomes frightened. His simple mind does not allow him to comprehend what he is doing, however, he follows her into an alley to try and meet her but she begins to yell, and he smothers her to death. This same night, he learns of perfume, and soon meets a perfume maker in another part of France who is losing costumers to another in the business, and despite having doubts in Grenouille, he offers to begin teaching Grenouille the art of making perfume using his ability to smell any ingredient possible. His ultimate goal is to somehow find a way to make the ultimate perfume, based around the scent of a woman. It leads to a very disturbing, dark, yet very well constructed tale of a string of murders, simply for his project. The acting is incredible. There are a couple 'well knowns' such as Dustin Hoffman (Who plays the perfumist who teaches Grenouille early in the film) Alan Rickman (Who plays a large role in solving the murders of the women whilst trying to protect his own daughter) and John Hurt (Who is not seen, but narrates parts of the film), though many of the other actors and actresses you might not know, but almost everyone puts in a convincing performance. The story is constructed very well, despite a bizarre setting, it makes it plausible and cohesive. It suspends your disbelief that when the climax comes, you are willing to forgive the fact that in any other given circumstance it would seem pointless and odd. The scenes following, leading to the end of the film, is once again held together by the stories ability to suspend your disbelief. In the end, it is chilling how he is 'undone.'
The style and direction of the film equally matches the unique and bizarre premise. It is constructed very, very well, and gives a great presentation.
Explaining the film is very hard to do. It is one of those 'You have to see it to believe it' films. Its not a film everyone will dig, and it is certainly not for the prudish or for the children, and while there is little profanity or gore, there is quite a bit of disturbing (though oddly non-graphic) violence and heavily sexual overtones with a fair amount of nudity and one scene that... well, I can't really divulge information on it due to rules, plus it would be kind of a spoiler, but it goes along with the heavy sexuality displayed in the film. If you are open minded, and wishing to experience a unique, extremely slick film then Perfume is a must see. It defies genre and manages to be a disturbing, bizarre, and psychological experience yet at the same time, it tells a good story that may sound far fetched in a summary, but is made cohesive and believable with great attention to detail, solid acting, and great filmography and direction.
All in all, it is highly recommended for those with an open mind who want something different.
9.5/10
