Generally, there is an anti-Oscar sentiment around here, so expect some hostile responses.
But we are pro-Oscar Levant.
Joel Schumacher’s The Phantom of the Opera was also nominated for an Oscar.
Palme d’or maybe but oscar…
Perhaps Holly means is Merchant Ivory a presently vibe within ‘Howards End’, can any one remember the features of that direcor… Autuer features?
If I recall he enjoyed having high angle pans, an unconventional feature… that is in ‘Remains of the day’ as well; right?
remains of the day…is ok due to presenting enlgish repression in a strindberg kind of way…
Oscar nominations are irrelevant really, could just as well be the local Women’s Institute awards taken as a quality guide, but i think it’s an excellent film and deserved to be on a best of year shortlist. The script is pretty well handled by Jhabvala, the acting is marvellous (with the exception of dastardly Wicox junior, i.m.o): Redgrave, Thompson, Hopkins all top notch. It may go under the category of worthy if uninspired but of its type, careful sensitive prestige literary adaptation, it has a lot to commend it. Oh and part of it was filmed in a village i know well on the England-Wales border, in the grounds of the Harley doctor family linked to Harley Street (take that as a side note, not an extra commendation).
Regardless of Oscars, what are the features of Merchant Ivory?
Anyone, help?!
Well: Merchant: Indian producer, Ivory US director, often period films based on British, also American, and classic literary sources (eg Forster), scripted by Jhabvala, considered disparagingly by some as suiting literary rather than cinephile bourgeois/middle classes, but known for quality acting, care over costumes, details. The team started off in India, but most famous films have been English-based and set, eg A Room with a View, Remains of the Day, Howards End..
Siamese twins.
I actually like Merchant Ivory films. I do enjoy repressing, boring, English films about nothing happening. I find Merchant Ivory films to be quite entertaining and soothing – great to watch when feeling blue with a tub of ice cream!
About Howards End, no one can dislike any film with Helena Bonham Carter and Emma Thompson. I personally find them to be one of the few well known actresses who actually can act.
The Merchant Ivory films are generally characterized by a generally high level of production and performance, and they are usually based on well-regarded works of literature. This has led to their films being unfairly accused of being mere Masterpiece Theatre reductions.
When Rob Marshall or Zack Snyder make a film as intelligent as ROOM WITH A VIEW or HOWARDS END you are free to come to my home and rape me with a chainsaw.
Don’t know a whole lot about merchant ivory at this point, but I’ll just publically declare that “Bombay Talkie” has the best opening credits ever.
Casting a forty-ish Bernadette Peters in the lead role in Slaves of New York. That made a lot of sense.
I agree with Roscoe that many of the criticisms are unfair, maybe springing from a shallow idea of what is cinematic. They may not be “cool” but at their best (yes they have been mediocre too) there’s much to admire.
I thought The Remains of the Day was alright, but I loved Howards End. I haven’t seen any of their other films aside from that.
Can critical analysis be applied to films such as ‘Merchant Ivory’?
What were peoples initicial reaction to them, have your views changed acording to age?
Well, I read the novel by E. M. Forster, and I think Merchant-Ivory are best adapted in the cinema selection for Forster than Henry James (awful movies: The bostonians, The europeans and The golden bowl). This costume and old cars tragicomedy is amazing with the wonderful and talkative heroin Emma Thompson, but the subject of house inheritance and blood heredity is so universal and strong that the movie seems a chilean story.
I have not watched this film in particular, but having watched their other work (A Room with a View, Maurice, etc), I am very excited to do so, especially after the release of the new blu-ray edition. I find Merchant Ivory films exquisite and possessing of a very serene quality.
I liked Remains of the Day back when I saw the same. Not sure if it will withstand the tide of time. Need to pay another visit.
(BTW, I have a serious crush on Helena Bonham Carter that started after watching Howards End back when. And that crush is still persistent (blush)).
It’s a gorgeous film with fantastic performances from a talented ensemble. It’s not the most exciting film; it’s detailed, very small and subtle. I personally love it, but I can totally understand how someone else would find it boring. Vanessa Redgrave and Emma Thompson are particularly wonderful. I don’t think Merchant Ivory broken new ground with their filmmaking, no. However, their films are textured and meticulously made; they’re beautifully shot, lit, costumed, and authentic. And the acting is uniformally good, by Britian’s best actors. I do think it qualifies as serious filmmaking. While not every film of theirs succeeds, I think most of them do quite admirably.
I love Howard’s End, but I am infinitely more in love with A Room With A View. That movie is perfect in every way.
I also was not that crazy about the artwork for Howard’s End. Maybe it will grow on me, but for such a lush film, I was disappointed by the lack of color.
Captain: I actually liked the colors in Howards End. I’d say it had either an autumnal or early spring look to it.
Whilst I think Merchant Ivory films can often appear like over cluttered Victorian mantelpieces (especially in some of the latter films), they manage to pull off a considerable trick: namely taking an outsiders view (American-Indian) of usually British (read English) manners, idioms and norms and slyly provide some level of critical comment on it; meanwhile not appearing to upset the apple cart of good taste and period film trappings – in fact the rather English art of having your cake and eating it; all very politely, of course.
My favourite has to be the much leaner Remains of the Day, which is a wonderfully judged character study where you can practically feel the collar studs quiver with suppressed emotion and feeling. With a darker edge than usual – the threat of Nazism looming in the background – and the gorgeously modulated central performances of Hopkins and Thompson, the film achieves a consistent sense of shade and lightness and has something quite pertinent to say about duty – misplaced or otherwise – to your employer, country and ultimately to your own emotional wellbeing.
The script too is a lot tighter than some of their ‘dressing-up box’ films such as The Bostonians, Savages, Jane Austin in New York, the awful Jefferson in Paris (which followed this gem) et al.
Holly
What do people think of the Merchant Ivory? This film won an Oscar.