Basil - Amor e Ódio

I must admit, Jared was the hook, but it was the story that kept me interested. Not quite 'Dangerous Liaisons' or 'The Remains of the Day', but this film was very enjoyable. Jared Leto and Christian Slater both did fine jobs playing Brits and I would recommend this film to anyone.

"Basil" is a curiously compelling film. I rented it purely because it "looked Victorian" and I was in the mood for something different. It turned out to be very Victorian, a family saga set somewhere in the 19th Century. Wealthy, but not titled, father has two sons. His pompous and hypocritical Victorian "family values" provide the dramatic force for the story -- otherwise, it's just a bland Harlequin-type romance. The father's confrontations with sons over women end each time with decisions totally alien to our modern sensibilities. Very jarring. Jared Leto as Basil is a little strained in his acting, but always nice to look at. C. Slater is surprisingly (and obviously) good in this "historical" role, and he has a secret which provides a twist near the end. The end itself provides a strange turn that may make you wonder if Basil wouldn't have been happier in a new-age commune in modern New Mexico. Of course, it is basically a chick-flick....

A brit production, where the two leads are american. Basil's older brother had shamed the family, so he was sent away. Basil has always been careful around his dad, but there may be a showdown coming! Father doesn't approve of the young lady for whom basil has fallen. Mannion has become basil's friend, and will try to help. Julia's father agrees to the wedding, but they may not consummate the marriage until it is too late for basil to be dis-inherited. It's okay. The first half is pretty slow. The script is rather sparse, and we feel the desolation that basil feels. Twists, turns, intrigue. In the close-ups, faces, eyes, wallpaper, paintings are quite vivid. In the wide shots, everything and everyone is a bit faded, or foggy. It's possible they did something to the film to give it an aged look, like sepia. Directed by radha bharadwaj. Story by wilkie collins.

Basil hooks up with the grungy Christian Slater, who helps hook him up with the object of his lust, played by Claire Forlani.

And it all goes downhill from there. Seems like it might've been an ok Victoria melodrama to read, but on film, it's just boring.

This movie is based on Wilkie Collins' (author of Moonstone and Woman int White) little known 2nd novel "Basil". The story is an unexpected combination of a Victorian Gothic novel with lust, passion, betrayal, revenge and more. It comes across as more sensational and modern than one would expect from a story from the mid 1800s. I think the screenplay expanded upon the novel. The plot twists are quite startling and some aspects of the story don't make that much sense in a but it's a suspenseful and satisfying yarn to watch on screen.

The filming is quite well done with atmospheric locations and sets. The cast is interesting with Jared Leto and Christian Slater both playing English characters with accents that aren't quite spot on of course. Half Italian Claire Forlani plays an English lady although she has a slightly Mediterranean look.

Instead of watching another adaptation of Jane Eyre or Wuthering Heights give this one a chance.