Fresh from Cinema.. ..The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

This time it is really almost fresh from cinema - for I watched this one on Monday.. Another film I anticpated to be released - and which made me fall for it in almost no time:

THE BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL (2011)

In a nut-shell:

Evelyn Greenslade (Judi Dench) became recently a widow and feels lonely and kind of useless.

Graham Dashwood (Tom Wilkinson) decides that it's time to quit his job and return to the place of his youth.

Jean (Penelope Wilton) and Douglas Ainslee (Bill Nighy) put their savings in their daughter's firm - and lost it - not to mention that their marriage also could need some help.

Muriel Donnelly (Maggie Smith) needs a hip replacement - preferable not too expensive.

Norman Cousins (Ronald Pickup) looks for an erotic adventure -  and the speed dates he attends seem not to bring the wanted success.

Madge Hardcastle (Celia Imrie) feels too young to be "just a grandmother" - and for sure young enough to find a new love.

They all leave their lives in Great Britain and meet on the journey to India...

~ Maggie Smith, Ronald Pickup, Bill Nighy, Penelope Wilton, Celia Imrie, Judi Dench and Tom Wilkinson ~

 ...where they all head to the Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (for the elderly and beautiful) - a residential home which is managed by zealous and enthusiastic Sonny Kapoor (Dev Patel) who has some troubles with his mother (Lillete Dubey) - who isn't happy at all that he wants to decide for himself which girl he is going to marry: Sunaina (Tena Desae).

The hotel isn't exactly what it's guests expected from the brochure - it's more or less a ruin. (As optimistic Sonny explains: the brochure shows merely the future looks..)

But for once the guests decide to stay - and for all of them life will change.. 

So if you're a fan of...

... a great cast

... characters who are not in their early teens anymore

... films set in India

... optimists

please watch this film!

~ Evelyn (Judi Dench) and Madge (Celia Imrie) arriving ~

In the last issue of this series I told you that one certain actress could not make me want to watch a film just because of her appearence in it - but this film's cast I would follow pretty much into each and every film:

Judi Dench, Bill Nighy, Celia Imrie, Maggie Smith and Tom Wilksinson are some favourites of mine - they are just brilliant. Most of you will by now know that I am highly anglophile - so: no surprise in that at all, is it?

~ A grumpy Maggie Smith - how could one not love that lady? ~

I don't want to tell you too much - but this film contains pretty much everything you can ask for - without slipping into clichées too much. Yes - still there are a long lost love, a death and of course some new loves..

The characters are pretty well done - each of them has her/his own story. Just for one example: the character Muriel played by Maggie Smith is in the beginning quite racist. She changes her mind in the end quite a bit - but this is not done in one of those schmaltzy scenes we all know so well. It's done pretty quietly - and that's one point I really love about this film. It does not sell us this *snap!-now-she-won't-discriminate-anyone-ever-in-her-life-again*-kitsch. The characters in this film develop quite slow - just how they would in real life (well.. okay.. a bit faster.. they only have 2 hours time here..) 

~ Penelope Wilton in a difficult role - because it is a quite unhappy and negative character  ~ 

The film contains a lot of humour, some calm scenes and also has some drama, too. 

Just by the way: Penelope Wilton reads a book in this film called TULIP FEVER - it's by Deborah Moggach - who also wrote the novel THESE FOOLISH THINGS on which THE BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL is based on..

~ Dev Patel as Sonny - manager of The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
- and that's quite a task.. - esp. when your guest insist on rooms with doors.. ~

This film has some really beautiful filmed scenes - in the beginning it appears to be done with a hand camera: everything is shaky and darkish - but as they arrive in The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel - the films starts to show a beauty and serenity I have troubles to discribe.. Simply beautifully composed - and one of the places they filmed was also used in one of my favourite recent films: THE FALL (2006)..

~ Bill Nighy.  I adore that man. - 'nough said..~

It's an overall wonderful film and I think it will become a Summer favourite of mine. If you can spare 124 minutes for a simply great film with an outstanding cast: Please give this film a try! Honest: It does not feel like 2 hours of film at all!

Oh - and some bloggers will be happy to hear this: Evelyn (Judi Dench) is writing a blog in this film.. (or let me quote one of my classic favourites: "we accept her - one of us - we accept her - one of us - gooble gobble - gooble gobble - we accept her - we accept her..")

Have a look:

It has for sure one of the best and most optimistic lines ever to be delivered in a film:

"Everything will be all right in the end - so: if it's not all right: then it's not yet the end."

Thank you very much for listening

Yours 

Irene

“So.. How ‘bout it then?”

To say it right in the beginning:

2009 I was more than avid to watch one special film – I waited for this “aaaaaages” – it was Richard Curtis’s THE BOAT THAT ROCKED – and I wasn’t disappointed at all.

It is still one of my all-time favourite modern flicks.. I know that a lot of people out there just loathe it. But not me – No, sir! I am officially in love with this film. It’s pure entertainment. It is unbelievable funny and it’s partly awful dramatic – it’s like a “catastrophe-musical”.. Yeah – okay – I am excited ... – and towards the end of this film I am absolutely always getting goose bumps.. yeah – kitschy, pathetic.. Whatever..

And now I am going to tell you a little bit about it – so relax, enjoy yourself and listen – but: Beware: I am completely disrespectful.. Wait – you knew that already, didn’t you?

So – why of all things do I start talking about modern movies with this film?

It’s easy – I was trying to seduce a very good friend of mine to watch THE BOAT THAT ROCKED – and it worked. Well, kind of...

…

He didn’t (yet)...

– but I watched it..

So: Dear friend, from now on I will let you alone when it comes to this film. ... Well... Maybe for today..

In a nutshell:

1966 – great times for British Rock’n’Roll – but BBC radio program only broadcasts less than 45 minutes of pop music – so the lovers of that music have to listen to Pirate Radio stations – which are anchored in North Sea and play Rock and Pop all-day (and -night) long – and so is Radio Rock..

Young Carl (Tom Sturridge) who is expelled from school is sent by his mother (Emma Thompson) to his godfather Quentin (Bill Nighy) – who (what a coincidence!) runs Radio Rock.. And with young Carl we get to know all those DJs of this pirate radio station..

Everything could be just nice – and Carl’s biggest problem could be to lose his virginity - if there wasn’t government minister Sir Alistair Dormandy (Kenneth Branagh) who – with a little help from his assistant Twatt (it’s all in the name.. - he is btw personated by Jack Davenport) - tries to close those pirate radio stations down..

Schmooze:

• The US title is PIRATE RADIO, the German one is RADIO ROCK REVOLUTION, in Italy the film is known as I LOVE RADIO ROCK and my favourite is the French title: GOOD MORNING ENGLAND ... yeah.. that’s what I call translation, baby!.. Isn’t it interesting that each of these countries has an alternate English title?? Think about that..

• Richard Curtis is responsible for such screenplays for films as FOUR WEDDINGS AND A FUNERAL (1994), NOTTING HILL (1999) and LOVE ACTUALLY (2003) … It’s up to your decision if you’ll take that as a warning or a recommendation..

• Though the story is fictional it’s loosely based on popular pirate radio ship Radio Caroline – and so are most of the DJs loosely based on actual DJs..

You should watch this film if you...

• ... are a fan of 1960s music – in this case this film is a MUST. Hear me?!?

• ... are a fan of 1960s clothes

• … are disliking Philip Seymour Hoffman and want to change that. (- worked for two of my friends.. just btw… he is great in this one – but I am a fan already.. – so: don’t take my word – watch that movie!)

• … wished TITANIC (1997) would have had more free love and Rock’n’Roll.. ;”)

Ok – a little bit of an advance notice:

This film is hilarious – and a bit sad – and dirty – and naughty.. ;”) It contents “adult humor” and strong language.. I LOVE it!!

"Cuz if you shoot a bullet, someone dies. When you drop a bomb, many die. You hit a woman, love dies. But... if you say the f-word, nothing actually happens."

- Yeah, the Count (Philip Seymour Hoffman) is right - but I (for one) still try to avoid to use the f-word..

The cast is amazing. Ok, I fancy Rhys Ifans (that dreadful scumbag..) – but there is a lot of nice “material” on this ship - if I may say so.. I think I would go for more than half of the people on board and I include some gorgeous girls in this..

I love Felicity (Katherine Parkinson), the cook, who is allowed to stay because she is an “absolutely always-“ lesbian.. – and her love story is one sadly small but therefor very lovely part of the film.. It's like two minutes or so - but very cute..

You will maybe spot some naked breast - as I now learned it is possible that this scene is cut from the US release.. It is a homage to Jimi Hendrix’s “Electric Ladyland” album-cover.. You can see it here:

~ this is the US version, folks.. you can imagine what we Europeans are allowed to see, can't you? ;"p ~

And you have the chance to see Nick Frost (Dr. Dave in this film) in almost all his glory.. But don’t be afraid: No “(almost) real sex-scenes” in this flick.. ;”)

The cast is really just marvelous – yeah! I can’t say that often enough. We have the always great Bill Nighy, who is magnificently arrogant and arrogantly tongue-in-cheek - just like I love him to be - and we have Philip Seymour Hoffman, who is rocking cool, of course the awful Rhys Ifans, Kenneth Branagh (stiff as a broomstick..), Chris O’Dowd who is hilarious and tragic and makes me want to cuddle him ~ how could I not go for a guy named simple Simon?? ~ , a very stylish Emma Thompson, the lovely and very sweet Gemma Arterton (I adore her!!), stunning January Jones, cute Talulah Riley - and I especially love Ike Hamilton (Harold – who is maybe not saying soo much – but he is amazing - even without words – and I will state here and now that I like this tooth space.. It’s adorable..) and the very funny Rhys Darby (Angus) and many, many more..

And you GUYS may like to know: The men who apparently have the most sex in this film are the chubby one and the one who hardly says a word (and I do not refer to Harold..) – okay the last one will please the eye of some girls around here– but maybe you boys can learn a new “line”… - tell me if it works.. ;”p

For us girls it’s harder: we have to be gorgeous to get some fun it seems.. Oh – and a fringe helps obviously.. ;”)

But I would say: The girls around this blog are quite amazing - aren’t you, ladies?? See! I knew it! ;”)

Quotes corner:

The film gave me some wonderful quotes which made their way into my daily life:

“Walk woodpecker way!”

is used very often by my sister and me, when one of us notices that the other one is about to do something really idiotic and should change her plans. – Coming to think of it: my sister says this a lot more often than I do… hm…

Or we have:

“Aww.. You look like a unicorn – in a negligee..”

Ok – if you ever say that to me when I am sitting on your bed – get ready to pick your teeth up from the floor - and I don't care how cute you are.. Just mentioning it..

Let's face the music:

The Soundtrack is just amazing – it isn’t always true to the decade – e.g. The Who’s “WON'T GET FOOLED AGAIN” for sure wasn’t released in 1966. I am a The Who fan – and in this case I won’t get fooled again either – but it doesn’t matter – the song fits perfect into the scene. – And I also don’t care about the Muddy Waters-error..

Hans Zimmer wrote the one additional piece of music – and he is not credited for that. He did it as a favor for Working Title..

Gee, I could do a whole entry about the score - there are over 50 songs I guess which are used here.. - AND: There is even one Ennio Morricone tune! It’s the theme of FOR A FEW DOLLARS MORE!!! – and of course it makes a great scene even greater! Ok, maybe the scene is just idiotic – or pathetic – Anyway - I like it.. ;”)

This scene didn’t make it into the film but so you have a chance to meet the team:

(I would cheer for Angus.. I would be alone with this– but I would cheer.)

- and now let's attend a wedding:

And finally - the trailer:

Hm.. I have the strange feeling I once stated my entries for newer films would be less long..

Doesn't seem like I am able to do that..

Sorry.

(Nah.. not really..)

"I've always lived for news and weather. Happy to die for them, too. Especially the weather."

Thank you for listening!

Yours (very well, groovy and) truly

Irene