Aria: Special Edition
Second Sight
R2 DVD
Aria
is a luxurious, textured and seductive anthology of images and music. It dates
from 1987 and brings together some of the most innovative filmmakers from
around the world including Nicolas Roeg, Jean-Luc Godarm Julien Temple, Charles
Sturridge, Bruce Beresford, Robert Altman, Franc Roddam, Ken Russell, Derek
Jarman, and Bill Bryden.
Each
director offers a unique interpretation of a given work of classic music with
minimum dialogue. The definition of an Aria is a piece of music performed with
one voice backed by an orchestra. Accordingly most of the directors have opted
for a purely visual exploration of the theme with only two using any dialogue
at all and only a minimum of “classic lip syncing”.
It
is interesting to consider the way in which each director has explored the
themes of each work. Some have taken a more literal approach such as Franc Roddam's
powerful exploration sex and suicide in Las Vegas an as adaptation for Wagner's
Tristan und Isolde "Liebestod" Aria while others are more surreal
such as the truly surreal world of Jean-Luc Godard with self obsessed bodybuilders
instead of knights and warriors and naked woman as maidens.
There
is, as expected, lots of reflections on the verities of life, especially love.
From a moving tale of love and suicide in Las Vegas to a fast flowing story
about adultery and indulgence (with a rather fun Elvis figure singing Verdi).
From Bruce Beresford’s evocative scenes of passion in an old city to Derek
Jarman’s evocation of young love starring Tilda Swinton.
There
are also works of stunning creativity. Ken Russell’s musings on a psyche under
pressure is astounding as he interprets Puccini in a new and exciting way.
Starting with a strange and surreal dream sequence, the picture suddenly
transforms into a car accident and you realize that these are the musings of a
mind damaged by the immense pain of a brutal crash. The characters which appear
in her dream are actually the doctors and nurses attempting to save her life.
Powerful, beautiful and memorable are words which come to mind. While Robert
Altman’s reflections on a 18th century opera performance where the
insane are used as an audience offers a startling reflection on prejudice and
exploitation, especially when you cannot tell who are the performers and who
are the audience and moreover who are mad and who are sane !
In
any anthology the quality of the pieces will vary, but in Aria while some are
more intense than others, all are ingenious and inventive and will keep you
engaged right to the very end. Each of
the pieces stand in their own right linked by a series of interstitials that
feature John Hurt preparing for his performance as the clown in Bill Bryden's interpretation
of I Paliacci, which closes the picture.
The
Second Sight Special Edition is a delight including a superbly restored print,
exquisite sound and some excellent extras. There is a new documentary called
“Composing Aria” which includes interviews with Don Boyd, Franc Roddam, Nicolas
Roeg, Ken Russell, Charles Sturridge and Julien Temple and an insightful
commentary by Don Boyd. There is also a stills gallery and trailer.
Reviews appear on the Synergy website with
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multiple images. We recommend you download the free
digital edition (or buy the print edition) to get
the most from Synergy Magazine.
This review will appear in Volume 2 No.4 (2009) of the digital and
print edition of Synergy Magazine.
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