"Leaving Los Angeles" would be a proper title for Abel Ferrara's "The Blackout", a graphically decadent depiction of a Hollywood movie star's slide into booze and drugs.
Thematically similar to Ferrara's "Bad Lieutenant", in which a cop's alcoholism ruined his life, this darkly delirious portrait is, by nature of the Hollywood milieu, much more salacious, both sexually and psychologically. While no one has ever accused Ferrara of being either upbeat or a prude, "Blackout", in its bawdy sexuality, often resembles an adult video, albeit one snuffed over with demonic obsession. With a charismatic and complex lead performance from Matthew Modine and his eminence bizarro, Dennis Hopper, doing a self-parody, "Blackout" should attract some cultish curiosity.
As some of us have heard, Hollywood can look the other way toward a star's drug addiction, and, in this case, screen star Matty (Modine) is encouraged to be as wild as he wants. Sexually, he has a new flavor every day, while pharmacologically, he's either sniffing or chugging. Still, he clamors for stability and deludes himself that his current wild child, Annie (Beatrice Dalle), is his one-and-only. Annie, however, is more realistic, having the keen perception to deduce that a guy who hangs out at a video company dedicated to bringing sexual saturnalia to the small screen might be a little conflicted as to his overall intentions.
And, most pointedly, she doesn't wish to mother the child of a "drug addict."
When confronted with her feelings, Matty not only goes into denial but into delirium, no longer able to control himself or even recall his actions: Has she left his life or has he killed her? Nightmares portend the worst -- and not even rehab, psychotherapy or the love of a good woman who looks like a supermodel (Claudia Schiffer) can assuage Matty's tormented despair.
As usual, Ferrara's stylistic will not be for every taste, but even detractors here will marvel at the production's shimmering sensuality. Admittedly, he has draped a horrible disease in G-string psychological garb, but the scenario (Marla Hanson, Christ Zois, Abel Ferrara) is generally credible and the characters identifiable. At its worst, the second half of the story is basically a drunk video as Matty spirals down into mania. "Blackout" is essentially structured in two parts, which might be blithely titled "Bottoms Up" (the bacchanalic first part) and "Bottomed Out" (the sickened second part).
Alternately dashing and debauched, Modine is well-cast as the drunkenly depraved Matty. As a sleazeball with auteuristic pretensions, Hopper is wildly entertaining as the smut-shooting video director, while Dalle is all wild sizzle as Matty's uninhibited "love."
"The Blackout" is brightest in its glossy visuals, with special praise to cinematographer Ken Kelsch for his sinuously glossy compositions and to composer Joe Delia for the drenched and steamy score.
THE BLACKOUT
Out of competition
MDP Worldwide
Presents in association with
Les Films Number One and CPA
An Edward Pressman Production
Producer Edward Pressman
Writer-director Abel Ferrara
Co-producers Pierre Kalfon, Michel Chambat
Executive producers Mark Damon, Alessandro Camon
Screenwriters Marla Hanson, Christ Zois,
Abel Ferrara
Director of photography Ken Kelsch
Production designer Richard Hoover
Music Joe Delia
Editor Anthony Redman
Cast:
Matty Matthew Modine
Micky Dennis Hopper
Annie Beatrice Dalle
Susan Claudia Schiffer
Annie 2 Sarah Lassez
Running time -- 89 minutes
No MPAA rating...
Thematically similar to Ferrara's "Bad Lieutenant", in which a cop's alcoholism ruined his life, this darkly delirious portrait is, by nature of the Hollywood milieu, much more salacious, both sexually and psychologically. While no one has ever accused Ferrara of being either upbeat or a prude, "Blackout", in its bawdy sexuality, often resembles an adult video, albeit one snuffed over with demonic obsession. With a charismatic and complex lead performance from Matthew Modine and his eminence bizarro, Dennis Hopper, doing a self-parody, "Blackout" should attract some cultish curiosity.
As some of us have heard, Hollywood can look the other way toward a star's drug addiction, and, in this case, screen star Matty (Modine) is encouraged to be as wild as he wants. Sexually, he has a new flavor every day, while pharmacologically, he's either sniffing or chugging. Still, he clamors for stability and deludes himself that his current wild child, Annie (Beatrice Dalle), is his one-and-only. Annie, however, is more realistic, having the keen perception to deduce that a guy who hangs out at a video company dedicated to bringing sexual saturnalia to the small screen might be a little conflicted as to his overall intentions.
And, most pointedly, she doesn't wish to mother the child of a "drug addict."
When confronted with her feelings, Matty not only goes into denial but into delirium, no longer able to control himself or even recall his actions: Has she left his life or has he killed her? Nightmares portend the worst -- and not even rehab, psychotherapy or the love of a good woman who looks like a supermodel (Claudia Schiffer) can assuage Matty's tormented despair.
As usual, Ferrara's stylistic will not be for every taste, but even detractors here will marvel at the production's shimmering sensuality. Admittedly, he has draped a horrible disease in G-string psychological garb, but the scenario (Marla Hanson, Christ Zois, Abel Ferrara) is generally credible and the characters identifiable. At its worst, the second half of the story is basically a drunk video as Matty spirals down into mania. "Blackout" is essentially structured in two parts, which might be blithely titled "Bottoms Up" (the bacchanalic first part) and "Bottomed Out" (the sickened second part).
Alternately dashing and debauched, Modine is well-cast as the drunkenly depraved Matty. As a sleazeball with auteuristic pretensions, Hopper is wildly entertaining as the smut-shooting video director, while Dalle is all wild sizzle as Matty's uninhibited "love."
"The Blackout" is brightest in its glossy visuals, with special praise to cinematographer Ken Kelsch for his sinuously glossy compositions and to composer Joe Delia for the drenched and steamy score.
THE BLACKOUT
Out of competition
MDP Worldwide
Presents in association with
Les Films Number One and CPA
An Edward Pressman Production
Producer Edward Pressman
Writer-director Abel Ferrara
Co-producers Pierre Kalfon, Michel Chambat
Executive producers Mark Damon, Alessandro Camon
Screenwriters Marla Hanson, Christ Zois,
Abel Ferrara
Director of photography Ken Kelsch
Production designer Richard Hoover
Music Joe Delia
Editor Anthony Redman
Cast:
Matty Matthew Modine
Micky Dennis Hopper
Annie Beatrice Dalle
Susan Claudia Schiffer
Annie 2 Sarah Lassez
Running time -- 89 minutes
No MPAA rating...
- 5/12/1997
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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