my 10 best films – “Closer”

by richibi

the-bolt.jpg!Large

          The Bolt” (c.1778)

 

                  Jean-Honoré Fragonard

 

                                       ________

 

 

in the spirit of recording my ten best

ever films, my favourite films of all

time, something that, at my relatively

advanced age, 71, I feel entitled to do,

however might some think me

presumptuous, others, not inaccurate,

I started last night with Closer

 

Mike Nichols directs, who also helmed

another of my ten favourites, Who’s

Afraid of Virginia Woolfwhich, having

just watched it recently, I won’t again

soon, having been, once more,

devastated, I cry from the first roll of

the credits, bawl when the music

comes on, a theme that’s reverberated

with me through the several ensuing

ages, same as just happened again

to me with this one

 

The Blower’s Daughter, listen, tells

the story, breathes the essence of,

anguish, the tale itself follows, four

individuals, in a tight, literary, conceit,

live out the agonies of participants in

modern emotional interactions, or, at

least, my modern, 2004, it all takes

place in London, with a brief, though

revelatory, postscript in New York, in

order to tie loose ends together, they

are called upon, the performers,

consummate in every instance, Julia

Roberts, Jude LawNatalie Portman,   

Clive Owen, however reduced might

be their full cast, a mighty, note,

professional challenge, to display the

myriad tragedies inherent in all loving

entanglements

 

try to find it, it ought to knock your

socks off

 

meanwhile, think about your own

best list, if you don’t suppose it’s

at all too early

 

 

R ! chard

 

psst: stick around, incidentally, for the

          final credits, to Mozart’s

          transcendental Soave sia il vento,

          from his Così fan tutteaptly,

          and sublimely, introspective