So, this sound engineer goes to Italy to act as an effect expert on an Italian horror film. Whilst doing his job the constant repetition of hacking melons, recording screaming women, crunching leaves underfoot - added to the problems of trying to get reimbursed for his travelling expenses - drive him... well, does it drive him mad, or is what we are watching real (within the content of the film) or is itself a film being made about this sound engineer who goes to Italy to act as an effect expert on an Italian horror film.
Now, there are some good things to be said about this film - Toby Jones as said sound engineer, about whom the film may be about or not as the case may be, is very good, and the use of sound is well done - but, having laid out a most promising situation, and apparently leading to a shock ending, the film suddenly disappears up its own backside. At one point - SPOILER ALERT! - an actress comes in and, when asked to speak her lines, starts to quote from a letter from home that the Toby Jones character has received. Then Mr Jones starts speaking in Italian as the film begins to repeat itself... and... well, by this time I had totally lost the plot and was looking at my watch wondering how much longer I had to endure this nonsense.
There are some films which get caught on the festival/critical merry-go-round, and garner awards by the truck load, coupled with glowing reviews which other critics, not wishing to swim against the tide, endorse. Yet when these films are watching by genuine, fee paying members of the public the reaction is totally different, and a completely - more real - idea of the film emerges. This is one such film, one beloved by the critics, yet disliked (or at best met with indifference) bu the viewing public. Certainly when my local film club screened it the general reaction was "what on earth was all that about"! No, I'm afraid this is pretentious, self indulgent load of nonsense, loved by critics and wannabe intellectuals who think they can read much into such rubbish, but hated by the real cinema goer!
Now, there are some good things to be said about this film - Toby Jones as said sound engineer, about whom the film may be about or not as the case may be, is very good, and the use of sound is well done - but, having laid out a most promising situation, and apparently leading to a shock ending, the film suddenly disappears up its own backside. At one point - SPOILER ALERT! - an actress comes in and, when asked to speak her lines, starts to quote from a letter from home that the Toby Jones character has received. Then Mr Jones starts speaking in Italian as the film begins to repeat itself... and... well, by this time I had totally lost the plot and was looking at my watch wondering how much longer I had to endure this nonsense.
There are some films which get caught on the festival/critical merry-go-round, and garner awards by the truck load, coupled with glowing reviews which other critics, not wishing to swim against the tide, endorse. Yet when these films are watching by genuine, fee paying members of the public the reaction is totally different, and a completely - more real - idea of the film emerges. This is one such film, one beloved by the critics, yet disliked (or at best met with indifference) bu the viewing public. Certainly when my local film club screened it the general reaction was "what on earth was all that about"! No, I'm afraid this is pretentious, self indulgent load of nonsense, loved by critics and wannabe intellectuals who think they can read much into such rubbish, but hated by the real cinema goer!