In 1920s Los Angeles, a bedridden patient in a hospital captivates a young girl with a fantastic tale of heroes, myths, and villains on a desert island.In 1920s Los Angeles, a bedridden patient in a hospital captivates a young girl with a fantastic tale of heroes, myths, and villains on a desert island.In 1920s Los Angeles, a bedridden patient in a hospital captivates a young girl with a fantastic tale of heroes, myths, and villains on a desert island.
- Awards
- 4 wins & 11 nominations total
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Featured reviews
Beautiful, moving and surprisingly accessible
I saw this film in the Toronto Film Festival and was somewhat surprised by how much I enjoyed it, and the extent to which I was engaged in the reality that it creates. Catinca Untaru's performance is heartwarming and completely captivating, a truly lovable child-star whose appeal is based upon her authenticity and talent as opposed to her ability to bat her eyelids or wrinkle her nose. Her relationship with Roy (Lee Pace) is touching to behold and more importantly, entirely believable. Of course, as expected with Tarsem Singh as a director the film is visually stunning, featuring Baraka-like eye candy, which in itself deserves rave reviews and as a subsidiary to the story creates something quite spectacular. The use of worldwide locations allowed Tarsem to share some truly beautiful images with the viewers, and teamed with Catinca's acting left the audience as putty in his hands, laughing and crying as he wished.
Remarkable
If you have not seen, or in fact, heard, of this movie, let me be the first to tell you about it.
This was and is the sort of experience that first enraptured and astounded me as regards to the movies. A story told in such a way as to become a part of your awareness, a gentle reminder of the fantastic, mythical and magical components of what is best in humanity whilst not forgetting what it means to be human.
Breathtaking does not even begin to describe the cinematography. The colors, the framing, costumes, lighting, and the backdrops are gorgeous; like something out of a dream. If this was just a visually moving film, that would be enough but there is so much more.
Tarsem Singh's direction is possessed. He manages to capture a kaleidoscope of emotion as diverse and generous as the tones and colors that deliver this movable feast for the eyes. His motley casting of relatively unknown actors is inspiring and refreshing.
The acting is extraordinary. Both poignant and comical, this journey of heartbreak and revenge, of discovery and friendship is conveyed with joy, witticism, curiosity and a vulnerability that is so rare in life, never mind in movies, it left me humbled. Especially the young Romanian girl, Catinca Untaru, who, not only made her big screen debut in this movie but is the heart and soul of the film in a breakthrough performance that I am sure will garner rave reviews.
It is my sincerest hope that you find this movie as emotive, tender and touching as I.
This was and is the sort of experience that first enraptured and astounded me as regards to the movies. A story told in such a way as to become a part of your awareness, a gentle reminder of the fantastic, mythical and magical components of what is best in humanity whilst not forgetting what it means to be human.
Breathtaking does not even begin to describe the cinematography. The colors, the framing, costumes, lighting, and the backdrops are gorgeous; like something out of a dream. If this was just a visually moving film, that would be enough but there is so much more.
Tarsem Singh's direction is possessed. He manages to capture a kaleidoscope of emotion as diverse and generous as the tones and colors that deliver this movable feast for the eyes. His motley casting of relatively unknown actors is inspiring and refreshing.
The acting is extraordinary. Both poignant and comical, this journey of heartbreak and revenge, of discovery and friendship is conveyed with joy, witticism, curiosity and a vulnerability that is so rare in life, never mind in movies, it left me humbled. Especially the young Romanian girl, Catinca Untaru, who, not only made her big screen debut in this movie but is the heart and soul of the film in a breakthrough performance that I am sure will garner rave reviews.
It is my sincerest hope that you find this movie as emotive, tender and touching as I.
Totally Blown AWAY .....
I was absolutely blown away. I absolutely had no idea really what this movie was about and I didn't do any research on it and met a friend to see this screening and I have to tell you THIS IS film MAKING!!! I loved every minute of it!!!! I don't know why it hasn't been released but this is one movie I have to have in my video library to watch and watch over again. Story telling at its ultimate highest. I was very impressed with Catinca Untaru "Alexandria", I would love to see more of her, very talented not to mention Lee Pace, you can tell they worked very well together. I can not wait to see this movie again. I felt the ending was closure. Dan Gilroy - you need to write more often-I just can't say enough about this film. The cinematography ....is just awesome. Please release this film, I wanna see it again.
Visually spectacular and emotionally engaging
The Fall is a charming, fantastical story with a haunting undertone and features the most endearing child actress since Jacques Doillon's Ponette... what more could a film boast? Moreover, this film could be watched on mute and still make a lasting impression on the viewer through its striking imagery. The Fall is the story of Alexandria, an injured immigrant child wandering the hospital where she is being treated. The viewer is drawn, with Alexandria into a dark and extravagant world through the story of a maimed stuntman who she befriends. The skilled interaction between the finely divided reality and fantasy is reminiscent of David Cronenberg's eXistenZ. I can not recommend this film any more strongly.
Where is the 4k release
This movie needs a 4k UHD Blu ray release. I can't think of a movie that would shine in 4k more. Great movie and stunning visually
Did you know
- TriviaThe film was shot in 28 countries, over the course of four years. According to the director no stages or sets were ever used, only existing locations.
- GoofsThough the hospital scenes take place in Los Angeles, they actually shot in South Africa, which drives on the left side of the road. All the cars in the shots on location at the hospital have steering wheels on the right side of the car, revealing that they are not actually in LA.
- Quotes
Alexandria: Why are you killing everybody? Why are you making everybody die?
Roy Walker: It's my story.
Alexandria: Mine, too.
- Alternate versionsFor the UK version, some changes were made to remove footage from the archive cinema clips that involved real cruelty to horses, as this contravenes the UK's Cinematograph Films (Animals) Act 1937.
- SoundtracksSymphony No. 7 Op. 92 II. Allegretto
Written by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performed by Bulgarian Symphony Orchestra-Sif 309, conducted by Deian Pavlov
Details
Box office
- Budget
- $30,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $2,581,421
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $79,611
- May 11, 2008
- Gross worldwide
- $3,984,551
- Runtime
- 1h 57m(117 min)
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1
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