Perfection Comes With A Price

What can I say about 'Black Swan' that for the most part has not already been said by people who have enjoyed Darren Aranofsky's (quite frankly more compelling) rendition of popular ballet 'Swan Lake'? Nothing. Seriously, I got nothing to add. Now, while I didn't think this was a brilliant film across the board, that it not to say that it hasn't earned the positive praise it has garnered, especially the tour-de-performance of Natalie Portman as troubled ballerina Nina Sayers who just wants to be the best she can be. This is one of those movies that you have seen time and again, but as I always say, it's all in the execution and this one takes off splendidly. Now what has THIS got to do with possession? Read on.

This movie has all the right ingredients to be an effective psychosexual thriller that deals with the losing and finding of identity, repression, fighting personal inhabitions and giving it to the great void. If we look at this movie from the angle of demonic possession, it may make you scratch your head, but look at it from this perspective- you have a fragile human soul in the form of Nina being victimized by her own insecurity, an insecurity that takes many forms, one of them being free-spirit Lily (Mila Kunis). Lily isn't the BEST ballet dancer like Nina, but she does her dancing with more emotion than Nina ever has, and this affects Nina profoundly. On top of that, Nina is haunted by her demanding stage mother who wants to live vicariously through her daughter, to feel the glory she misses now that she is 'old hat'. Nina is babied, coddled and shaped by her mum, even her room looks like that of a girl child's. Then there is the matter of her ballet instructor, Tomas (Vincent Cassell), a man who uses some pretty unorthodox methods to coax the best out of his dancers, one of them being sexuality, something Nina finds almost foreign.

                                                  I will keep my own thoughts here quiet :D

All of these things comes to a head when Tomas surprisingly gives her the role of the White and Black Swan in his upcoming re-imagining of 'Swan Lake'. Nina is brillaint as the White Swan, but she lacks the passion and lust for life the Black Swan possesses, a fact that frustrates her when she sees Lily who is the very embodiment of that. So encompassing is this desire of Nina's that she subjects herself to various methods of becoming like Lily, one of them being striking up an actual friendship with her (and you know where THAT leads.). In another case, after a... shall we say, STIMULATING rehearsal with Nina, Tomas encourages Nina to pleasure herself so she is not so frigid in her performance. She does this, but then is inhibited by an outside presence which only inflames her frustrations. All of these things are demons that are possessing Nina, following her, getting into her mindset, influencing her actions, pushing her towards the very edge with devastating results.

                                                  Creatively smashed mirrors being a bonus

Forgive me for giving in to the elephant in the room, but seriously, Natalie Portman for the most part IS the movie. Certainly not to take anything away from Kunis and Cassell, both of whom are in fine form, but this movie is all about Nina and her affliction, and Portman commits herself to her character. You have to remember that not only is Portman dancing, she is also acting through her dancing, and trying to emote what Nina is feeling must have been no small feat for Portman when she was preparing for this role. I'd say that the awards she has been given were DAMN well earned.

                                                     Well done. Now eat this burger, woman!

Hopefully now somehow I have convinced you that this is more than just what it has been sold to be, and more than just an excuse to show (admittedly steamy) sapphic sex. This film is for all intents a movie about possession, but this time, it's not Satan, Legion or Glenn Beck. It is about the demons of the mind and how they are perhaps the most potent demons of them all. In the case of 'Black Swan' while succumbing to your demons may lead you to glory, there is still a price to pay- would you be prepared to pay it?

BAD GIRL!

Confession- I saw 'The Exorcist' when I was 23 years young. After I had seen so many other horror films, I had become desensitised to cinema and genre. Consequently, upon first viewing Friedkin's acclaimed adaptation of William Peter Blatty's novel, while I certainly did feel it was worth a watch (as opposed to the supposedly "OMGAWESOME" 'Friday the 13th' which I felt was an over-bloated, badly-realised piece of sh--) I just didn't see WHY WHY WHY 'The Exorcist' had been bestowed with the reputation as one of the most important horror films ever. Obviously, back when it was made it frightened many of the bums in seats, but these days, unless you have the constitution of cheap toilet papter or if you are a religion nut, it's not that mind-blowing or spiritually confrontational upfront.

                                                                         WHUT?
However.

That doesn't mean I cannot appreciate the goods that this movie offers, and belive me, there are many of them, and all of this is apart from the fantastic actors who took part in this.

Upon recently watching it again recently (two nights ago), I found that this film's disturbing factor was more effective when it was subtle as opposed to in-your-face. Okay, sure, those possession scenes were crowd pleasers, but what appealed to me the most was this is a film that without the demonic possession, was still quite eerie. An example? The scene that made me the most squeamish was when little Regan was being tested in the hospital. You can masturbate with a crucifix, walk backwards downstairs and turn your head 360 degrees as much as you like, but those are nothing compared to seeing a child being subjected to all of these invasive medical procedures only to yeild no result. To me, due to it's realism, that entire sequence made me the most uncomfortable. Addtionally, seeing Ellen Burnstyn's Chris McNeal having to watch her daughter being poked and prodded gives it all that much more of an impact. And this is before the really nasty stuff happens.

                                                              That wasn't an invitation...

Other beautiful piece of subtlety can be seen when Jesuit wonderguy Father Merrin (Max von Sydow) merely faces off with an imposing statue of Pazuzu at an archaeological site. Nothing happens, but you can feel a tension rise within that moment when good and evil face off in the calm before a battle. I don't know what it was about it that worked so much for me, the camera work, the scenery, the incredible score, or even von Sydow's and the statue's presence in the same frame, but wow.

Okay, I'm done being introverted, let's talk about the money.

For a film that was made back in the early 70's before extreme censorship became a pain in everybody's butt, this one is a corker. Frankly, I don't believe I have seen many fantastic films that effectively shows a child being exploited in such a way. Visual effects or no, Linda Blair really did make the movie work, despite her young age. I wonder what her parents thought when she was cast in such a role and became immortalized in this portrayal. In saying that, equal praise must be given to Mercedes McCambridge. Who is she? Why, she was the voice of the possessed Regan/Pazuzu- every spurt of profanity, demonic gibberish and cackling was her, and even now, she doesn't recieve the praise she deserves.

                                                                 The voice of Pazuzu

In addition to the projective pea-green vomit, self-inflicted icon mutilation and head twisting, another thoroughly effective effect in this movie is almost always blink-and-you-miss-it: Pazuzu's face. I actually had to step through a few sequences in order to find these faces because they really are that fast. Now, some of you may laugh, but this face is pretty unforgettable:

                                                                              Gack.

Although it looks nothing like Pazuzu, when you are able to catch these subliminal flashes, they make you think "What was that?" as opposed to many films these days that rely simply on shock value and cat jump scares.

Now, when the movie comes to it's finale, it would be easy to dismiss that this film preaches the tired "God ALWAYS triumphs over Satan!" rhetoric- wait a moment. Pazuzu is a demon, yes, but he was not a demon of Christianity- he was Assyrian. That being said, while little Regan is exorcised of Pazuzu, he is not vanquished, he merely chooses another body of a priest who commits suicide- you think suicide is enough to kill a demon, a demon that is not of your faith? Bless you. Given this is explored in the sequels, I won't go further on this point, but despite the fact that faith won, it was for now, not forever, which is something Friedkin (and Blatty for that matter) emphasize- it never ends.

                                                                     Look! Paz Penis!

The Last? Pffft.

I believe there is some sort of unspoken convention when it comes to making contemporary horror films that I'm sure a lot of you have seen as well- the revered or reviled 'shaky cam'. Relied on to offer up a more 'realistic' atmosphere, it can go either way from the effective ('Blair Witch Project', [REC], 'Paranormal Activity') to the not so effective and quite frankly, annoying (any of the later Romero 'Dead' entries... sorry George). Another device that is commonly used to promote a film is the association it has with a prominent figure in genre film making, in this case, unknown director Daniel Stamm's 'The Last Exorcism' has Eli Roth to thank for the fact it had been released on the big screen rather than simply being dashed straight to DVD. Usually when you hear about something like this, you may assume that the film really ain't all that and it was used as a simple ploy to make a little more money on the side. While 'The Last Exorcism' won't cater to every genre fiend's taste, I must give kudos to Roth for making sure this film got a good look.

                                        Okay, who is it this time? Pazuzu? Beezelbub? Ann Coulter?

Believe you me, this is a film you have seen many times, just with different actors and directors, and perhaps different demons. Hell, many of the possession/exorcism sequences will harken to other films, some superior, others... well... let's not go there. Given the mockumentary approach, there is a sense of realism that must be given credit, as well as the reletively unknown cast, the possessed lead actress who plays Nell being one of them (we are treated to some outstanding physical acting on her part. If there was any CGI enhancement, none of it really stood out, at least to me). By the way, I know I'm not the only one who has noticed this, but have you ever noticed that demons almost always seem to be after women? Almost all of the stories and films I have encountered usually involve the demonic possession of a female character rather than a male. Why is this? Let me be an intellectual for a moment, I promise to be brief.

I think the reasoning behind females being more suseptible to demonic menace reflects how the patriarchial society sees women- oh don't say I'm being too paranoid, look around you. Despite the fantastic advances women have made in today's society, there are still club-weidling bigwigs disguised as modern men who believe that women are not human, but things, UNKNOWN things. What happens when we encounter something we do not fully understand- we fear it and we react to this fear by spreading rumours, nurturing hatred and ignorance. Additionally, when it comes to works of fiction like the Bible (oh yeah, I'm going there, baby), when we look at the chapter of Genesis, it is Eve who is supposedly responsible for the suffering that humanity endures after she and Adam are cast out of Eden, a place of unimaginable paradise, never mind the fact that it was the Devil, whose power is far beyond human comprehension, much less the comprehension of the first human female who, like Adam, doesn't know what is right and wrong and was only given a crytpic warning about the apple tree. Why couldn't God say "Look, honey, don't take anything from that tree because you will be tempted by my greatest enemy  because if you do, you and your boyfriend will be removed from this lovely place and be forced to endure pain after pain after pain." Another example- the story of Pandora. She was warned not to open the box containing wonders beyond comprehension, without being told that if she did it, she would unleash unending calamity on humanity. Another? Cassandra- she had the gift of foresight, but society (led by men, surprise surprise) didn't believe her warnings until it was too late, THEN, she was deemed to be evil. Going back to my point, women seem to be the blame for everything, and one of the ways of disguising this sadly inbuilt uncertainty is to tell tales of which the female is the cause of calamity. 

Sorry, I really didn't mean to get on a high horse there, but honestly, think about all of those things, heck, conduct some of your own research then think about how demonic hauntings seem to center around females rather than males.

BACK TO THE MOVIE!!!!!

For the better part of the movie, Nell's possession is an object of doubt- she is afflicted with a dysfuntional family situation plus mental illness- when you think about that, all of her contortions, speaking in tongues and profane behaviour could very well be the trait of a mentally unstable person... but then there are other things that psychology and physiology cannot explain. Is she or isn't she? This is for the audience and the characters to speculate throughout the film, but let me assure you, there is a lot of freaky goings on to keep you entertained and to keep the characters uncertain.

                                                       Demonic possession or back pain?


Another notch on this one's belt is that even though there is bloodshed and general nastiness, this film is more about questioning what you didn't see rather than examining what you did (given Eli Roth, who had thus far made a career out of bathing us in gore and blood has had a hand in making this see the light of day still surprises me :D) all of which makes up for the fact this film is for the most part predictable and nothing new. Rather than focusing on what we do know, let us look at what we don't- the best advise I can give is to just watch it and enjoy it, but I certainly wouldn't hold it against you if you read between the lines.

What Happens When You Sleep?

You know, so much has been said about this film by so many people that the only new thing I can add are my own thoughts on Oren Peli's surprise smash 'Paranormal Activity'.

Look, I really enjoyed it. It was by no means original, and it was by no means revolutionary in terms of the demonic possession/menace genre, but I feel it cops worse flack that it deserves. For one thing, considering the very very modest budget of this movie, Peli ensured every one of his dollars were well invested. He didn't have the technology to whip out the fright effects that the second one had, but he still had a lot of tricks up his sleeve. While there are slighly CGI manipulations in the movie, it doesn't take a front seat in the proceedings. The only major effects that can be seen throughout this movie are the actors, Katie Featherstone and Micah Sloat. Peli really did strike gold with these two because off the bat, they shared a genuine sense of chemistry in how they talked and acted around each other. They didn't so much play up their characters to the camera, but more to each other. They really did act like a couple who had been together for a long time- their daily interactions, how they joked around with each other and finally how they coped under the closing fist of the demon. I felt Katie and Micah (the characters) were real human beings rather than caricatures. Now, I know the characters really divided audiences- some folks have said that Micah was a jerk for not taking the threat of the demon seriously (and yeah, he does quite a few things to infuriate it despite Katie's warnings to stop), while others have said Katie is the one to blame (like she should have told him about her little 'problem' of the demon following her every where she goes... well okay, but how would you explain THAT on the first date?).  And of course, there are some people who can't see the point of view of either (to which I say, how about you find yourself a demon to hunt you, see how apathetic you are then)

                                                    These two could have been you, too.

There have been complaints along the lines of, ya know, "Why don't they just move out?" but it's not as simple as that- as Katie explains, this demon has been haunting her all of her life, where she goes, it goes, and she has tried to cope for so long. While I was in the former Micah-hater club, I never found either character to be in the right or wrong- when you are dealing with demonic entities, forces beyond your comprehension, what CAN you do? If this demon's hold is so strong that to summon an exorcist will only enhance it's negative influence, how do you act? How do you protect the ones you love? This is all purely metaphorical discussion, but this point I want to bring up against these points that have been made in previous reviews/arguments.

Another thing that struck me that despite the fact it loses it's initial fright factor after your first viewing (unless you have a weak stomach), the eeriness is still prevalent, and it's not necessarily JUST about the demoinc bits- one of my favourite sequences is when Micah wakes up in the middle of the night to find Katie downstairs in the backyard sitting on the chairswing in a drowsy trance-like state. There are no funny noises or shadowy figures rushing past the camera, it's just this strange, off-putting behaviour exhibited by Katie. We know it's the demon that made her do it, but she isn't spewing projectile vomit or talking in strange tongues- we can only guess how she got there, but we never know. I LOVED that. Another favourite- Micah finding a photograph of young Katie in the attic only for Katie to contend that this picture had been burned in a fire in her youth- if that is the case, where did the demon get this picture and why was it in the attic of all places? Was that it's lair or was it a malignant joke on it's part to throw the couple off balance? Another case? The footprints. "But Boomkat, those were birdy feet! They were funny!" I hear you say. Well sure, they may look like that, but did they really give any indication as to what this creature truly looked like? Demons have the ability to fuck with humans as if it were a sport- they love tricking humans who they deem below their own intellect, making them question what they see and feel. If you ask me, those footprints were another idea for the demon's sick jokes. And of course, another favourite moment/s of mine is when Katie gets out of bed, under the demon's influence and stands over Micah's side of the bed, staring down at him for several hours, unmoving (so effective was this moment that Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin parodied it with hilarious results for the Golden Globes :-D).

                                               This demon is a real dick when it does THIS.

But as much as I appreciated the subtlety, I still am a sucker for intensity, and when Katie is violently dragged out of bed and taken down the hallway, her screaming for dear life as Micah tries in vain to get her back. Yeah, some have said this is sell out material, but I am more than willing to buy it because once again, the actors sell it, especially Featherstone. Which brings me to the ending/s.

*SPOILERS*


*SPOILERS*


Still reading? Okay. Now, some of you have probably heard about the two endings of this movie, the cinematic and the alternate ending found primarily on DVD. The cinematic ending had the fully possessed Katie kill Micah offscreen only to carry him back up to the room and THROW his lifeless body at the camera. Demon Katie gets down on all fours, sniffing at Micah's body before lunging at the camera, her face twisted with demonic glee. Peli used this ending at Steven Spielberg's behest, but so many people criticise it. We will get back to this in a moment.
The alternate (and the ending that techincally makes a lot more sense and is more disturbing) has Katie killing Micah downstairs with a kitchen knife before trudging back up the stairs to the room and sit by the bed in a waking comatose state, rocking. A friend comes over, supposedly sees Micah's body downstairs and alerts the police. The police break into the room, Katie gets up, knife in hand only to be gunned down. Yeah, that was a pretty damn good ending, and one that made the most sense, but I feel the 'money shot' ending is unfairly harranged. For one, what was REALLY wrong with it? Was it because we finally saw SOME kind of form of this demon that broke the mystique of the creature? Because that is all I can think of- if you ask me, the effect of Demon Katie was actually quite well done- you can't tell you didn't stop and step through those final few seconds to get a good look at that face. Considering all of the other sell out endings we have been served in mainstream FX-laden movies, this is hardly a crime against humanity. Okay, sure, the police ending was a lot bleaker, but I for one love those pay offs as long as they are done with a measure of subtlety. It's not as if Demon Katie began to ate Micah's body, tearing it apart and roaring in triumph and beating it's chest. If you honestly think that is the "WORST ENDING EVAR!1!" you obviously haven't seen that many film endings. I would say that Peli didn't step in the doo when he took Spielberg's advice- sure a bit of the impact was lost, but the piece was never in danger of being irrevocably damaged.

Pidgeon-hole me as you please, but I for one was glad to see this movie- it may be a flavour of the decade for a while, but I feel it will hold up longer than what so many folks give it credit for. When it comes to showing a movie that involves demonic possession without showing the demon in full itself, 'Paranormal Activity' makes a highly admirable attempt while still keeping things on the reals.

(BTW, a note those idiots who think Katie Featherstone is 'fat'- You are all sad, bitter little bitchy individuals. That is all.)