I love stories and I’m lucky enough to have been able to make my living telling stories and helping other people to tell their stories on a variety of stages.
But cinema and film have always been a magic place for the whole StoryPower® team. It’s kinda compulsory. In films and stories, we are transported to another place, another reality.
Last night we went to the cinema and saw an amazing, weird, over-the-top film. One of us had recommended the film, we were relying on his recommendation. We knew nothing about the film or the cinema.
But the cinema is remarkable. What a stage for this film.
We had never been to this cinema before – check out the pictures of this place! We were impressed.
Film Review: The Cook, the Thief, his Wife, and her Lover
And now to the film. Nothing short of a visual orgy. This 1989 cinematic masterpiece of lavish debauchery was the brainchild of Peter Greenaway. The film follows the events of a high-class French cuisine restaurant, leading the cast is Richard Borst (Richard Bohringer), the downtrodden and sullen Cook, Albert Spica (Michael Gambon) an English gangster who finds himself the new owner of le Hollandais, Georgina Spica (Helen Mirren), The refined yet abused and battered wife of Albert, and Michael (Alan Howard), a bookworm patron of the restaurant and the lover of Georgina.
To appreciate the full visual decadence of the film, we must discuss the art associated with it. Baroque. Everywhere in the film, there are varying references to baroque art, from the gigantic painting of Frans Hal’s The Banquet of the Officers of the St George Militia Company in 1616, overlooking the restaurant, the eyes of the subjects of the painting constantly in view in the background, staring at the patrons, almost judging them for the disgusting raucous behaviour. The painting was created during the Dutch Golden Age when splendour and excess were at the forefront of society.
Another artistic medium that is in no way uncredited in this film is the costumes, designed by a little-known designer, Jean-Paul Gaultier. The costumes are couture at its finest, with each character wearing uncomfortable-looking cages or elaborate, colourful flowing silks of unexpected lengths. The point of these costumes was not to showcase design skills but to emphasise that the film is a commentary on debauchery and lavishness.
It’s violent, sex-filled, and raunchy. Yet, it is beautiful. You could pause the film at any given time, and there would be paintings on your screen reminiscent of Caravaggio and the masters of Baroque.
On an exciting and personal note, the movie’s filming took place at Elstree Studios, where we have an office. Walking into the lot, knowing that such an artistic expression of lavishness took place on the very tar road where we often stand, is amazing. We can’t describe it faithfully, but the overwhelming feeling of inspiration and creativity that overcomes you when surrounded by a space containing such history and imagination is worthy of the word awesome.
The cinema is in London and is called the Garden Cinema. It is endorsed by all of us!
www.thegardencinema.co.uk
