Der Schlangenkuss

You could speak about an architecture-film like the movies of Peter Greenaway. The personality-change of meneer Chrome (a boyish Ewan McGregor) is developed in the movie in a way that it is the backbone of the story but one asks himself if this is not poor for a movie. The 18th century with its superstitions and snuff-powder is the real background of the movie and the garden is in fact the antagonist. Juliana (Greta Scacchi) is not a real person, she seems to be like the statues of the garden. One wonders why she and Thea/Anna, her daughter (Carmen Chaplin) are attracted to meneer Chrome. Thomas Smithers (Pete Postletwaite) is a highly moral person full of strange fantasies, you cannot think of such a person in real life. Tim Rose Price should be aware that producing such a movie demands other skills than writing it.

If you are an adventurer in film, then you'll know Peter Greenaway. And if you know him, you'll likely know his first feature film: "The Draughtsman's Contract." It wasn't as selfreferentially dense as projects that followed, but its an incredible structure. It references restoration drama in form. While it makes itself that way, the story is of a illustrator who creates reality while drawing it. The "reality" in question is of an English country estate and it involves sexual intrigue toward and by the artist. There's a tussle about who is writing/ drawing the film we see.

Now we have a film built directly on top of that. It stars Ewan McGregor who had the year before starred in Greenaway's most advanced film (as of this writing). You really have to know both of those movies to appreciate this. You have to also know that the "crazy" young woman is the grandchild of our first lucid filmmaker and his wife, herself the daughter of one of our most lucid playwrights. She seems at times to literally control what is seen by all. And it helps to know that the repressed but eager mother is played by the woman who was June Gudmundsdottir in one of our most lucid films.

"Lucid" here in terms of films that see themselves as they unfold.

The actual movie by itself is rather chopped up, and directed in a somewhat incoherent way. But it doesn't matter at all, and I only noticed it the second time. Its about the things behind the things we see. That's what it is and what the story is.

It begins with the most amazing images behind the title. They are blurry images, just barely noticeable as moving humans. Later, they will be conflated with reapers, fishers, statues... and all folded in as the girl's dreams, which are further folded into the book she reads, the letters Ewan's character writes, the design of the garden and its undesign.

Its a mind game. Its lovely without being rich. Its not slick. It has holes. It was done cheaply and without visual flourish. But what a fun ride!

What a ride.

Ted's Evaluation -- 3 of 3: Worth watching.

This watchable, derivative, turn-of-the-century piece has a good cast, which could perform this kind of script in their sleep. You can't help but think of THE DRAUGHTMAN'S CONTRACT and ANGEL AND INSECTS all the while you watch it. There's no harm in enjoying this sumptuous film, but remember it's all been done before and better. I'd say Scacchi is the standout here.

I found this movie to be very strange, and indeed it is! The first time I watched this movie I thought to myself "What the heck is going on here!" I completely missed the point of the movie the first time I saw it. Fortunately, I was already acquainted with some of Ewan M.'s work, and thought that surely Mr. Mcgregor would have more sense than to make a pointless movie. Thankfully I was right. I would advise anyone who doesn't understand this movie, or who has only seen it once, to watch it again. There is a deeper meaning. All of the actors and actresses were fabulous in this movie! Although the movie could have served just as well as a short feature, I'm glad that it is longer so that I can enjoy the chemistry between the cast members longer.

This story is about a young, Dutch landscaper, Meneer Chrome (Ewan McGregor), who plans to create an extravagant garden for Thomas Smithers and his wife (Pete Postlethwaite and Greta Scacchi). His real plan or the real motive of this garden is to bankrupt Smithers so the not-so nice Fitzmaurice (Richard E. Grant) can seduce Smithers's wife. But Chrome begins having second thoughts about completing the plan after he becomes fascinated by Smithers's daughter Thea (Carmen Chaplin). I think people who have criticized this movie are far too harsh. I found it to have an excellent story with a talented cast. The performance that I felt most touched by was Carmen Chaplin's. Her struggle to find disorder in a world that wants to have order is an interesting element to the story. What I didn't like was the movie's pacing. I felt the message the movie was conveying that you can not control nature. I think this theme would have been better expressed in a short story or a short movie, not a feature length film. A part from that, I can sit through the hour and fifty minutes and feel glad that I saw this movie.