Disappearances

Jay Craven's adaptation of Howard Frank Mosher's novel, "Disappearances", is an unusual, beautifully photographed (by Wolfgang Held, the same from the documentary "Metallica: Some Kind of Monster" - small budget is not a big issue when there's real talent and passion involved) western-style adventure that deserves to be discovered.

Kris Kristofferson has his finest hour as an actor playing Quebec Bill, a schemer who resorts to whiskey-smuggling with his son, Wild Bill (Charlie McDermott, "The Village"), in order to raise money to preserve his herd as winter approaches. They cross the border into Canadian wilderness, and embark on a wild, ghostly journey. Veteran, underrated Geneviève Bujold (Oscar nominee for "Anne of the Thousand Days"; "Dead Ringers") has a an important supporting role; the amazing character actor Luis Guzmán ("Magnolia", "Boogie Nights"), Gary Farmer ("Ghost Dog") and Lothaire Bluteau ("Jesus of Montréal", "Bent") are also part of the ensemble. "Disappearances" is an original, mysterious (the magical realism and metaphors make it refreshing and intriguing like a Terrence Malick flick on a cold day) film that doesn't fit in a single genre, for it dares to take a particular course and go all the way, faithful to its core. No apologies, Mr. Craven; your mission's accomplished, and everyone who experienced it with an open mind is satisfied. For those who didn't get it, well, it's their loss. Let them anticipate the next Michael Bay, and everyone's happy in their own shoes. 8/10 (a high rating for me).

I'm amazed by the comments posted about this film. God forbid a director make a simple attempt to create an environment that is not 100% realism. God forbid a director enter the world of the super-natural and surreal. I found Dissapearances a wonderful film, perhaps Craven's best, if you actually do a little work yourself. My favorite question about this film is, "Well gosh. What the hell does it mean?" It means whatever the hell you want it to! What about the owl? What about Bujold showing up at random times? What about this. What about that? My God, have we gotten become so moronic by viewing the films of Michael Bay that we NEED to be told what to think and feel? The film is an adventure. Sit back and try to figure it out. Kristofferson gives a fantastic performance as does Gary Farmer, who is the dry comedic relief of the show. The photography is excellent, maybe the best Craven has had since "Rivers" and the editing is perfect. Give this film a chance and if you don't get it the first time you see it (which I did not)watch it again. You will be pleasantly surprised.

This well-meant film falls just a bit short, and unfortunately in too many areas.

The scenery is gorgeous, with vistas of north-central Vermont providing the setting for this mid-century tale. Quebec Bill endeavors to go back to his whiskey-running past in order to save his farm.

Going back and forth between scenes of magical realism and straight-forward action, this film rarely hits its stride.

Kris Kristofferson as Quebec Bill seems pretty stilted, or else it's his lines; or else his cross of Yankee and Quebecois accents. Anyway, he just comes off as a low-key blow-hard. His dialogs with Gary Farmer's Coville character do sparkle, though. William Sanderson's Rat Kinneson is solid. Charlie McDermott shows some real potential as young Wild Bill; but his part's not large enough to carry a scene and he never steals one. Luis Guzman shows up on Lake Memphramagog (with a fine stand-in performance by Lake Willoughby) as a monk with a boys'n'the hood accent: who knows? And then there's Bujold's Cordelia: an oracle like her namesake, she channels Yoda as she intones lines like "You will marry a Quebec woman!"?!? Just too weird and nowhere near enigmatic enough.

The end gets really choppy. Again a bad mix of magical realism and the concrete. And Yoda never provides an answer we can understand.

My wife and I watched a copy of "Disappearances" this evening. We both enjoyed it very much! We had both read the novel about a year ago and so were familiar with the Mosher story. This very expansive and in some ways too fanciful novel (the cloned abbot in the monastery comes to mind) was very enjoyable, but we think Craven did a fine job of translating it to the screen without having to include every aspect of the original text.

All performances were well done. Especially fine was the work of Gary Farmer (Henry) and Charlie McDermott (Wild Bill). Kris Kristofferson (Quebec Bill) was better in the latter part of the film, but (and perhaps this was intentional) was more caricaturish early on. He became more of a real character later as his situation became more serious. The smaller parts by William Sanderson and Bill Raymond were also enjoyable. The parts by Genevieve Bujold and Lothaire Bluteau were more problematic, both seeming lackluster in comparison to the others. The only real disappointment was Luis Guzman, whose part as Brother Hilliare was so reduced as to be inconsequential.

We feel an excellent job was done of handling what could have been expensive special effects by implying, without showing, such things as the train wreck. Too much emphasis is placed on graphic representation in today's films, when suggestion can be just as, or in some cases, more effective (as in special effects that don't work!).

If we have a serious objection to the film, it is the confusion that is generated in the earlier part caused by including many varied elements of the book without some sort of unifying dialog (perhaps a voice-over by an adult version of Wild Bill would help). This problem is relieved later in the film, but by that time a portion of the audience may be lost.

Our congratulations on a fine cinematic experience that deserves wide distribution.

We have also seen Craven's two previous Mosher adaptations, and consider this to be his best! One more thing – kudos to the cinematographer for the beauty of the production! Outside of our own Northwest, the Vermont Kingdom County is one of the most beautiful parts of our beautiful nation.

Like the previous poster, I am from northern Vermont, and I was inclined to like this film. However, not since "Red Zone Cuba" have I seen such a confusing plot. The things the people sent to bootleg make no sense. Two of the gang paddle across the border send a second party across in a car. Uhm, why? Then they meet two others, and drive up at night in to the bad guy's hideout in a luxury Packard. --Wouldn't just two people in a flatbed truck make more sense? Then, parked outside the garage that holds the targeted hooch, the four fall asleep! When they waken in the morning and and start hauling the whiskey out, of course they're spotted and shot at, losing some of their precious cargo in the process. Then two of the smugglers put the whiskey in a boat and float it over the border. Again, why? I am told by someone whose great uncle really did smuggle in the area, all one needed was to drive a vehicle that could outrun than the U.S. Canada Border Patrol, which back then had a fraction of the resources it has now.

And don't get me started on the last half hour, which made no sense whatsoever.

The only good thing I can say about the film is that Kris Kristopherson has actually grown some charisma with the years.