“ Comforting Strangers ” ( eng. The Comfort of Strangers ; other names are “ Shelter of Strangers ”, “ Comfort of Wanderers ”) is a 1990 film directed by Paul Schroeder (USA - Italy). Adaptation of the novel of the same name by British writer Ian McEwan , released in Russian in 2001 under the title " Freeze Frame ". The film premiered at an out-of-competition screening of the Cannes Film Festival [1] .
| Comforting Strangers | |
|---|---|
| The comfort of strangers | |
 | |
| Genre | drama / thriller |
| Producer | Paul Schroeder |
| Producer | Angelo Ridzoli |
| Author script | Ian McEwan Harold Pinter |
| In the main cast | Rupert Everett Natasha Richardson Christopher Walken Helen Mirren |
| Operator | Dante Spinotti |
| Composer | Angelo Badalamenti |
| Film company | The Rank Organization Film Productions Ltd., Sovereign Pictures, Reteitalia, Erre Produzioni |
| Duration | 107 min |
| Budget | $ 1.24 million |
| A country |  USA  Italy  Great Britain |
| Tongue | English |
| Year | 1990 |
| IMDb | ID 0099292 |
Content
Story
It was impossible to come up with a stranger name. All of us in the earth's vale are strangers, strangers, wanderers. And only death can become our refuge, can be a consolation for us. The eternal history of Eros and Thanatos , so frequent in antiquity, has taken on a new form in this film version of the famous novel by Ian McEwan , the scenario adaptation of which was performed by none other than Harold Pinter himself.
From the very beginning, the music of Angelo Badalamenti tunes the viewer to meet with the tragedy, to match the Greek. Beloved Mary and Colin, after three years of civil marriage, decided to feel their old feelings, somewhat faded, embarking on a kind of repeated honeymoon trip. The choice fell on Venice , familiar to them from a previous visit, a fairy tale city where it is possible to realize any, even the most cherished, desires. The couple is so beautiful that comparing him with Antinous , and her with Aphrodite suggests itself. Their relationship, which cracked back in England, does not stick together; petty quarrels and unforgettable grievances only widen the gap between them, like the Venetian channels separating the inhabited islands. But for his own happiness / unhappiness, the yearning couple meets a strange hero who is obsessively offering both momentary help and painful friendship, for which he invites the English to his home and introduces his wife, no less strange than himself. The tragedy has not happened yet, but the knife is already carried over the sacrificial lamb.
After parting with new friends, Robert and Caroline, lovers indulge in endless carnal joys, as if anticipating the imminent outcome of their sensual pleasures. And on one of the clear days, the gondola (or Charon's boat?) Drives them to the house of new acquaintances. In anticipation of a pleasant pastime, they are completely unaware of the dangers that await them ahead.
Features
- The plot of the film is somewhat different from the plot of the novel, where Robert and Caroline disappear at the end, leaving no trace of their presence on the Italian police [2] . The film uses a frame technique , where Robert’s memories of his father are heard both at the beginning and at the end of the film narration.
- Costume Designer was Giorgio Armani [3] .
Cast
- Rupert Everett - Colin
- Natasha Richardson - Mary
- Christopher Walken - Robert
- Helen Mirren - Caroline
Literature
- 100 + 100. Special issue of the magazine "Video Ass". - Moscow, Video-Ass, 1991. - p. 59 - ISSN 0868-5967
- Jumailo O. A. “The Venetian Text” and the aesthetics of reflections in Paul Schroeder's film “Consolation of Wanderers” based on the novel by Ian McEwan // Bulletin of Perm University. Russian and foreign philology. - 2018.- T. 10 , No. 4 . - S. 118—124 .
Notes
- ↑ Festival de Cannes: The Comfort of Strangers . festival-cannes.com . Date of treatment August 8, 2009.
- ↑ The Comfort of Strangers - IFC Center
- ↑ The Helen Mirren Archives
Links
- Comforting Strangers on allmovie