CODA Patrick Stewart 5/29/2023

I recently got the DVD of "CODA" staring Patrick Stewart and it is outstanding.  And, of course, well played by Patrick Stewart.

He made you believe that the character DID suffer from debilitating stage fright and overall mental instability.

Well worth watching.

Coda is a 2019 film starring Patrick Stewart, Katie Holmes, and Giancarlo Esposito about a concert pianist (Stewart) who suffers from performance anxiety late in his career.  The film is written by Louis Godbout and directed by Claude Lalonde.

The film premiered at the 2019 International Film Festival of India.

Plot

Henry Cole is an acclaimed classical pianist at the twilight of his career.  He returns to the stage after a long absence following the death of his wife only to discover that his performance is marred by stage fright and overall mental instability.  He barely escapes catastrophe as he suffers an anxiety attack on stage, running outside after finishing a number and smoking a cigarette.

At a post-recital press conference, he meets Helen Morrison, a music critic for The New Yorker.  She wants to write a story about him and unsuccessfully asks for an interview.  They meet again a few days later at Steinway Hall, where Henry suffers another episode while attempting to perform.  Helen rescues him in extremis and earns his trust.  Henry finally agrees to the interview.

Meanwhile, despite his agent Paul’s best efforts, Henry’s mental condition declines steadily.  His recitals become more and more perilous, thus jeopardizing his comeback tour and his much anticipated and publicized final concert in London.

Henry is urged by Helen to travel to Sils Maria in the Swiss Alps in order to hear another pianist she once knew, famous for the therapeutic effect of his interpretation of Beethoven’s late piano sonatas.  Once there, Henry’s symptoms at first worsen, but he gradually finds solace through walks in nature, curious but empathetic encounters with strangers, spirited chess matches with Felix, a hotel porter, and the music of Beethoven.  - Wikipedia

 

 

West Side Story 5/29/2023

I just bought the DVD of the musical "West Side Story (Steven Spielberg)" and it was and it was outstanding.

West Side Story is a 2021 American musical romantic drama film directed and co-produced by Steven Spielberg from a screenplay by Tony Kushner.  It is the second feature-length adaptation of the 1957 stage musical of the same name.  It stars Ansel Elgort and Rachel Zegler in her film debut with Ariana DeBose, David Alvarez, Mike Faist, and Rita Moreno in supporting roles.  Moreno, who starred in the 1961 film adaptation, also served as an executive producer alongside Kushner.  The film features music composed by Leonard Bernstein with lyrics by Stephen Sondheim.

The film entered development in 2014 at 20th Century Fox; Kushner began writing the screenplay in 2017.  In January 2018, Spielberg was hired and casting began that September.  Justin Peck choreographed the dance sequences.  Principal photography occurred in New York and New Jersey; filming began in July 2019 and ran for two months.

West Side Story had its world premiere at Jazz at Lincoln Center's Rose Theater in New York City on November 29, 2021, three days after Sondheim's death.  The film was later theatrically distributed by 20th Century Studios in the United States on December 10, after being delayed a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.  The film received critical acclaim with praise for the performances of the cast, Spielberg's direction, and the cinematography, with some critics deeming it superior to the 1961 film.  It was named one of the top ten films of 2021 by the National Board of Review and the American Film Institute.  The film grossed $76 million against a $100 million production budget.  Among its multiple awards and nominations, it received seven nominations at the 94th Academy Awards, including Best Picture, with DeBose winning Best Supporting Actress.  It also received four nominations at the 79th Golden Globe Awards, winning three, including Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical for Zegler, and Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture for DeBose.

In 1957, the Jets are a gang of white youths that fight the Puerto Rican Sharks for control of San Juan Hill on Manhattan's Upper West Side.  Officer Krupke and Lieutenant Schrank break up a skirmish, telling the gangs that their conflict is pointless since the neighborhood will soon be demolished to make way for Lincoln Center.  The gangs are too proud to care, and Jet leader Riff proposes a "rumble" (fight) between the two gangs.  He approaches his friend Tony, who is on parole, for help.  Tony refuses, wishing to turn over a new leaf with the help of Valentina, the Puerto Rican owner of Doc's general store.  Meanwhile, Maria, Shark leader Bernardo's sister, is betrothed to his friend Chino, but yearns for independence.  At a neighborhood dance, Tony and Maria meet and fall in love, angering Bernardo, who agrees to Riff's terms for a rumble if Tony attends.  Tony tells Maria of his love and the couple meets on her fire escape, promising to see each other the next day.  - Wikipedia

I remember seeing the earlier version somewhere, and I had forgotten that the story is a Tragedy, because it's a story about prejudice, the tragic reliance on violence to solve the goal of misplaced pride against the love between a boy (Tony, Jets) and girl (Maria, Sharks).

This version was otherwise enjoyable.

 

Trailer