Dalíland

Greetings again from the darkness. Sure, it's an unusual approach; however, when it comes to Salvador Dali, the eccentric and iconic Spanish surrealist, a 'normal' introduction simply won't do. Director Mary Harron (I SHOT ANDY WARHOL 1996, AMERICAN PSYCHO 2000, THE NOTORIOUS BETTIE PAGE 2005) shrewdly opts for an opening scene of the artist appearing on the classic TV game show, "What's My Line?". Lead actor Ben Kingsley (Oscar winner for GANDHI, 1982) has been superimposed over the familiar archival footage as he mimics the artist's actual answers more than 60 years ago.

Screenwriter John Walsh (director Harron's husband) structures the story around James (newcomer Christopher Briney), a young man Dali selects as his new assistant ... and nicknames San Sebastian. This approach makes some sense as Dali was seemingly always on display and viewed as a curiosity to most. Yet James turns out to be the least interesting character on screen, and we wish for less of him and more of Dali, or Dali's wife Gala, or Dali's transgender nurse and muse Amanda Lear (Andreja Pejic), or even the flashbacks with Ezra Miller and Avital Lvova as young Dali and Gala.

It's 1974 and "Welcome to Daliland" is how James is first invited into the St. Regis Hotel suite where Dali spent winters in New York City for forty years. Production Designer Isona Rigau captures the essence of the hotel, especially during the infamous parties thrown by Dali ... even as Gala urged him to focus on work. Gala, played exceedingly well by Barbara Sukowa (HANNAH ARENDT, 2012), and Dali, show us the ups and downs of a codependent arrangement. She is shown pushing him towards success, and also at least partially responsible for his burnout and decline. Money was a constant battle as both enjoyed the high life. Dali loved the parties, while Gala enjoyed the company of younger men. The long-rumored signatures on blank canvas and the uncashed personal checks with the valuable signature are both addressed here.

Although it's been forty years since Sir Ben Kingsley won his Oscar, he still knows how to seize a character and fill the screen. Not only does he embrace the pumped-up ego of a genius, he also conveys the worst fear of an artist - a tremor in his painting hand ... although, to be fair, his fear of abandonment might have been even stronger. This is a man who knows he's approaching the end of his career and life, but chooses to live until he can't.

The flashbacks and the artsy moments where Dali conducts the wind from atop a seaside cliff are creative inserts worthy of one viewed as an icon, rather than as a man. Watching Dali hum while he works, or dominate a moment with his verbosity, or become emotional with Gala, all combine to provide a glimpse into Dali, the man and the artist.

In theaters and On Demand beginning June 9, 2023.

My Review - Daliland My Rating 7/10 Streaming on Foxtel

If I think of Salvador Dali I immediately think of the word bizarre and that's exactly how Oscar winner Ben Kingsley portrays the famous Spanish surrealist artist Dali.

This movie depicting Salvador Dali's final years with flashbacks to his youth when his younger self played by Ezra Miller meets his muse poet Gala who later in 1935 became his wife and greatest source of inspiration.

The movie begins in 1973 New York when a young handsome gallery assistant James Linton meets the famous 70 year old colourful eccentric artist Salvador Dali who refers to him from then on as Angel.

James Linton is played very effectively by Christopher Briney a fashionably charismatic slightly androgynous looking new actor who currently has a featured role as Aaron Samuels in the movie Mean Girls a teen musical.

The Dali's are both well past their prime but delight in giving extravagant parties attended by A list celebrities and the pop stars and models to be found at Studio 54 Gala played by Barbara Sukowa was apparently Salvador Dali's only sexual partner is described as having the "libido of an electric eel" Gala becomes infatuated with Jeff Fenholt played by Zachary Nachbar-Seckel whose fame is his role as Jesus on Broadway in Jesus Christ Superstar .

Dali invites Angel to assist him prepare for an important exhibition and they all return to Figueres in Spain which is Dali's birthplace.

This is the most interesting part of this movie as Dali revisits his youth when he first meets Gala and the relationships between the main characters develop.

I enjoyed seeing Rupert Graves again in Daliland playing Captain Moore who was Salvador Dali's business manager until he falls from grace .

I enjoyed Daliland directed by Mary Harron and written by John Walsh .

I must rewatch Little Ashes the 2008 movie starring Robert Pattinson as Dali which covers the young life of Salvador Dali .

I hope to visit the Salvador Dali museum this year in Figueres, Spain so these 2 movies greatly interested me .

To the last scene , I was in serious doubts if Sir Ben Kingsley was the most inspired option for the role of Salvador Dali. And, indeed, I have serious reseves about this behind the end . But I am convince than he deserves this role.

But I admired the beautiful portrait of Gaa offered by Barbara Sukowa and the effort of Christopher Briney, like the interesting portrait of Amanda Lear or Rupert Graves as Captain Moore. Or cinematography . Few good points of film.

For admirers of Master, the film can sound as impolite. It is only...ironic,a film about art industry, court around a star, naivety becoming lucid discover of reality , a notebook with signatures , a pretty movie using the familiar recipe of young man discovering the univers of a kind of sacre monstre.

Reailsm ? Not exactly. Maybe, colors . Or only honest try to recreate a period and give coherence to the traits of a genius. With acceptable results.

In essence, a kick to discover the real Dali.

I enjoyed this movie, but I doubt that many other people will. As a New Yorker who has worked in the arts, I know something about the milieu and the people depicted, so I had the background to appreciate it. But to most people, I think, it will be unintelligible. Basically, the situation is that a young and inexperienced would-be artist ("James") is hired to be an assistant to elderly surrealist Salvador Dali (Ben Kingsley), once an enfant terrible of the art world, now generally regarded by the cognoscenti as a has-been and a hack, despite being known and loved by the hoi polloi and a darling of the paparazzi. The assistant's duty is to keep Dali working. Dali is easily distracted by the constant bohemian circus going on around him. Dali's wife Gala (well-played by Barbara Sukowa) is really the one who pulls the strings. She collects and counts the money. She is also a horny old lady with a taste for beautiful young men. James (who is indeed a beautiful young man) is warned NOT to sleep with her and NOT to offend her. Dali, it turns out, doesn't really engage in sex himself. He is basically a voyeur and a masturbator. But he adores and depends on Gala. Gala's current paramour is an actor named Jeff Fenholt, who is playing the title role on Broadway in JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR. There are other issues going on, like forgery and fraud, and money-laundering. It ought to be more interesting. But it's not. I think the main reason it doesn't work is that it's unstructured. Virtually everything is given the same weight. What's important doesn't stand out, but blends in with the scenery. Acting (especially Sukowa, Kingsley, and Chris Briney as James), art direction, cinematography, and music are all excellent, but who cares?

This is a biopic of Salvador Dali (Ben Kingsley/Ezra Miller). It's 1974 New York City. James (Christopher Briney) is a young man working in an art gallery which is promoting Dali's next work. He gets assigned to assist Dali and ensure that the artist is working hard. Gala (Barbara Sukowa) is Dali's wife. Together, they lead an unusual group of followers.

This has an intriguing cast led by Ben Kingsley. I have no problem with Kingsley. Sukowa is great. The movie lets the audience snippets of Dali, but it's hard to get inside the man. His relationship with Gala is the big revelation. Maybe this doesn't need a kid to represent the audience and should just be the love story of Dali and Gala.