#40 - Close-Up (1990, Abbas Kiarostami)

One of the benchmarks of the Iranian New Wave, Kiarostami's most acclaimed feature is an unusual mix of documentary and fiction that seems to exist in no other national cinema. In this film, we are shown the true story of a man who convinced a family he was director Mohsen Makhmalbaf and his subsequent trial. From what I understand, all the actors in the film were the actual people in the case. I haven't seen a lot of Iranian films, just a few others of Kiarostami's, but many use this technique.

I kind of thought the court scenes dragged a bit, also I would have preferred more stylization in the visual images. But the final scenes in which Mr. Sabzian, the imposter, meets the real Mohsen Makhmalbaf was very impressive. Seeing real events happen before our eyes- not documentary really, but completely unscripted. Kiarostami even breaks the fourth wall setting up the scene.

I can't recommend the Facets DVD at all however. They have a much-deserved reputation as the absolute worst DVD company specializing in foreign arthouse cinema and this was one of their worse efforts. The sound is atrocious, in bad need of de-essing (sp?), the colors ugly and the forced subtitles in blocks. It looked like what Borat was parodying. But good film either way. Hope Criterion or someone can get the rights to this.

new #100: To Have and Have Not