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Title: Damage by Josephine Hart, Jeremy Irons ISBN: 0-7871-1390-5 Publisher: Dove Books Audio Pub. Date: June, 1998 Format: Audio Cassette Volumes: 4 List Price(USD): $25.00 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.07 (68 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: "Damaged people are dangerous...they know they can survive"
Comment: DAMAGE takes a powerful look at beyond-your-control obsession and it's consequences. Not since BODY HEAT have I been more taken with a femme fatale. As many other reviewers have pointed out, the title is loaded with meaning. If you've seen this film as many times as I have, you might come to the conclusion that there could be no better title. The line "Remember, damaged people are dangerous..." is the major theme of this film.
Judging from some of the negative reviews, this movie has infuriated some, who primarily say they didn't find it believable or who have no sympathy for the two characters caught up in the affair. I must argue that this definitely IS a five star film. Perhaps the key to savoring it is to look at the social class of these characters and the psychology of everyone involved. I would go so far as to suggest you watch it twice. The first time, watch it for the thoroughly intriguing story. The second time, (since you now know what's going to happen) study Jeremy Irons and Juliet Binoche's body language. Consider the type of man Fleming is at the film's beginning and who he becomes. Concentrate on secondary characters like Mrs Fleming and her daughter and Fleming's secretary. You'll see how they were used to convey the sense of mistrust and foreboding. The appearance of Anna's mother is also compelling. The warning she gives Fleming in the car does much to address how important body language is in this film. Most American films seem very heavy handed when dealing with matters of the heart and culturally American actors seem to be obtuse when conveying passion. For the most part, they seem completely incapable of the delicate sensuality so necessary for a story like this to unravel. The combination of director Louis Malle and artists Juliet Binoche, Jeremy Irons and Miranda Richardson (none of them American) should clue you in to the promise that this film can deliver. DAMAGE starring Matt Damon, Michael Douglas, Meg Ryan and Gwyneth Paltrow would have been a mess. This film relies on visual sensuality and needed a femme fatale as strong as Juliette Binoche (whose beauty is as legendary as Ingrid Bergman's) to make the obsession plausible. Jeremy Irons is thoroughly genius and believable as a man who is practically dying of ennui until the mysterious Anna awakens him. His passion for her so consuming, that even when he has lost everything, her photograph becomes the focal part of his dwelling. Miranda Richardson's performance is subtle but monumental in establishing the propriety and good breeding of Mrs Fleming. She practically steals the whole show at film's end. During her outburst she is hysterical with rage but manages to tell Fleming "you are not a bad man...". The importance of this again, shows how Fleming's need for Anna completely outweighs his conscience.
I wholeheartedly recommend DAMAGE to anyone who says "it's been a long time since I've seen a good movie." I would give this film ten stars if I could. In addition, you may want to check out the book by Josephine Hart, whose written images were so vivid that Louis Malle insisted on bringing the book to life.
Rating: 5
Summary: Obessive Love (or Lust) Gone Wrong
Comment: As is true with the novel, _Damage_ the film is not for everyone. If you are easily offended or prudish in any manner, skip this one. I have talked with a few people who rented the film because they were fans of Jeremy Irons but were upset by the premise of the movie. So, as I said, if you are easily offended, skip _Damage_.
Stephen Fleming (Jeremy Irons) is a prominent MP with a career that continues to blossom. He is married to an attractive, blueblood wife and has two healthy children. His son, Martyn (Rupert Graves), is doing well for himself: he has met a new girlfriend and has been promoted to an important position as political writer for a newspaper. Stephen and Anna (Juliette Binoche) meet at a party or get-together of some sort and discover an instant attraction. Stephen finds out shortly thereafter that Anna is Martyn's girlfriend. Within days, a steamy, destructive sexual relationship begins between Anna and Stephen. It continues, growing increasingly passionate, obsessive and harmful. In an odd (even wacky) twist of fate, their affair is discovered. Anna flees in her usual pattern and Stephen must return to his wife, Ingrid (Miranda Richardson), to see if he can possibly salvage his marriage.
Aside from the plot being centered around a man cheating on his wife with his son's girlfriend, the intense sex scenes in the film will likely turn some people off. I have seen both the R-rated and the Unrated version of the film and I cannot tell any difference between them so whichever one you choose, you are sure to see plenty of skin. After I watched the film, I read the novel by Josephine Hart and felt that I understood the characters much better. Although Stephen does inspire some feelings of repulsion from me, I do feel sympathy for him. He has lived a life of routine and boredom. As Louis Malle discusses in the "One on One" feature found on this DVD, the family life Stephen has experienced is one built on habit, not on strong emotions. When Anna comes along, something snaps. All of the emotions that Stephen has bottled up come rushing out like a floodgate that has burst. I suppose, all explanations and interpretations aside, that in the end, _Damage_ is the kind of film a person with either love or hate, understand or misapprehend. If you enjoy films about forbidden love or love gone wrong, _Damage_ is certainly for you.
Rating: 4
Summary: Uncontrollably Obsessed MP escapes unpunished
Comment: The story is seen entirely from Fleming's viewpoint. (If there is any guilt on the fiancee's part, she doesn't show it.) Fleming is a leading Conservative MP, likely to take over a Cabinet post as minister of health in the next re-shuffle. I feel the author, Josephine Hart, decided to give him that job, in order to maximise the fall that confronted him when his errors are discovered. It was as senior an establishment role that the protagonist could have without fearing he would be recognised at every street corner. Politics don't play a large part in the story, but the film will have played some small part in the image of sleaze that the Conservative party acquired in the early 1990s.
Binoche is utterly beautiful, and totally passive during the sex scenes, but her accent (cleverly excused by scriptwriter Hare as the result of her travelling the world) is all over the place. Irons is convincing in the role, and Miranda Richardson puts in another perfect performance. Their son, the victim, is almost too good-natured to be true, but this helps to highlight the contrast with his father's uncontrollable lust.
As with 'Day of the Jackal', the motion is very occasionally jerky -- one or two frames seem to be missing from the transfer from film reel to DVD, but not enough to harm one's enjoyment.
This is not far from being a truly great film, but I think it would have needed one extra dimension -- don't ask me what -- to achieve that.
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Title:Lolita ASIN: B00001IVFG Publisher: Vidmark/Trimark Pub. Date: 05 February, 2002 List Price(USD): $9.98 Comparison N/A, buy it from Amazon for $9.98 |
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Title:Swimming Pool (Unrated Version) ASIN: B00005JMIJ Publisher: Universal Studios Pub. Date: 13 January, 2004 List Price(USD): $19.98 Comparison N/A, buy it from Amazon for $13.99 |
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Title:Sex and Lucia (Unrated Edition) ASIN: B0000844I6 Publisher: Lions Gate Home Ente Pub. Date: 25 March, 2003 List Price(USD): $24.98 Comparison N/A, buy it from Amazon for $18.74 |
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Title:The Lover ASIN: B00005PJ6R Publisher: Mgm/Ua Studios Pub. Date: 11 December, 2001 List Price(USD): $19.98 Comparison N/A, buy it from Amazon for $16.38 |
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Title:Killing Me Softly (Unrated Edition) ASIN: B00008972P Publisher: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pub. Date: 15 July, 2003 List Price(USD): $14.95 Comparison N/A, buy it from Amazon for $12.26 |
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