VENICE 72: EGOYAN S "REMEMBER", A T.K.O. IN THE TENTH ROUND WITH PLUMMER'S BEST ACTOR LION IN THE BAG
by Alex Deleon
Coming on day numer Ten of the Mostra, about Egoyan's fantastic Post-Holocaust drama one can only say "Better Late than never", and this festival late comer is, if not a sure bet for the best film Golden Lion, a Best actor shoo-in for 85 year old Christopher Plummer as a ninety year old Auschwitz avenger who will end up avenging himself.
Slow buildup to stunning conclusion left A.M. press screening aud breathless and will stun more audiences later today at public screenings.
It will be interesting to read the Italian papers tomorrow.
PLUMMER on cover of Festival Daily CIAK (The Clapboard)
Plummer is beyond description as a doddering aged dementia victim with gun in hand, and ingenious script by Benjamin August is a true mind bender which puts new "english" on an oft told tale of evil Germans. Egoyan's mise en scene is mature perfection and cast featuring 87 year old Martin Landau (evil sidekick of James Mason in Hitchcock's NbyNW, 1959) as a wheelchair bound Auschwirz survivor with an Attitude and a mission, Swiss elder star Bruno Ganz as an Auscwitz laureate, and Jügen Prochnow (Das Boot) as the last Concenration Camp killer on Landau's vendetta hit list, are all outstanding in their criticsl supporting roles, while charming children's cameos along the way add a disarming air of innocence to this deadly tale.
This is the kind of film one can write a book about, and will undoubtedly occupy a major chapter in the Armenian-Canadian helmer's biog when the book on his work is written. BRAVO -- Shenurhagalem Atom Egoyan!
You made my week.
Alex on the Lido
REMEMBER , Egoyan flanked by his German performers, Jürgen Prochnow and Bruno Ganz