Yesterday I saw «12 Years a Slave».
I won’t write here about the reasons why I didn’t do it earlier (russian premier was about a month ago, December 12th, 2013). But this movie was worth every single minute and cent I spent on it. It’s well-known that sсript was written by John Ridley (I must admit that his last work is also his best one) and based on the memories of Solomon Northap, free negro, who was illegally sold to be a slave in 1841, Washington, D.C. But I’m not going to rewrite here all the facts you guys can read in Wikipedia or IMDb or find in numerous interviews with the director Steve McQueen and gold cast of this film. I’m going to give you some peculiarities which I want you to clap your eyes on.
1) British Community
It’s a little bit arrogant to name like this the part about the cast and the history of making this film, but this title reflects my thought completely. The movie is originally
British-American. It has a British director, 3 British main actors and e.t.c. Everybody knows about so-named «British community» phenomenon, and this project ain’t an exception. Steve gave one of the best roles to his friend Michael Fassbender, with whom he was already working. Well, I’d give him Oscar in «Breakout of the Year» nomination, if this one exists. Of course, he had a role for Cumberbatch – he was literally everywhere in 2013. A couple more roles to his friends actors, okey.
Em, what was I saying?
Ah.
Every single time when a new big project lights up the horizon of the Hollywood heels like morning mid-July sun, all American casting directors start to play Grey Cardinals. This time there were no such boom or rush – film production companies of «12 Years a Slave» are not number one in list. Well, distributed by Fox S. P., yeah. What I mean is this project weren’t suppose to be such a big deal, with the budget only 20mill$. (for example, «The Avengers» had 220mill$) The truth is, this film was a one big surprise for everybody. And, I must notice, a really good one. Got Golden Globe for «Best Motion Picture, Drama » nomination.
2) Mister "The sexiest Actor of the Year»"
I have a claim to Benedict Cumberbatch. You all know that he’s one of my favorite actors. And the person who watched almost all his filmography (yes, that’s me, hi!) do not doubt for a second that he could have played this role better. He always says in his interviews that mister Ford is hypocrite, who believes in God (who did create all us the people equal), but who didn’t oppose the slavery. His inner thoughts could have been shown better, because this character is very interesting and not so easy to play. But finally, Mister Ford seemed to me unimportant in this tragic story. Just my little opinion, nothing personal.
3) Oh, this edition…
I can write a poem to all the people who were holding the camera and who were cutting the scenes. The image was great. A little bit unusual, with a specific view. And colors, oh that colors! The colors were very important, according to Steve. Okey, I can’t describe this masterpiece with my ugly English.
4) Language
This movie is about 19th century USA. So, of course, the language of it is American accent variation of English. Our British «comrades» did a good work to replace their
sexy British accent with its American variation.
5) Emotions
This part describes what I think about cast’s acting talent. Lord, what am I about to say. These people blessed by God. There were a couple of scenes in this film which emotional content was overwhelmed, impossible: the ones were with screams and loud acting, the others were with hard-silent emotional facial expressions. And certainly both will make you cry and grip armrests of your cinema chair, believe me.
6) Sound
Actors didn’t have to learn too many lines. This movie has its silence, very hard, deep one. Sometimes this silence was interrupted with screams of whipped people, sometimes – with slaves’ songs. However, the sound of this film don’t draw off your attention, on the contrary, the sound helps you to understand.
Mila’s note: 10/10.
Comment: McQueen took a very pat theme, and he made it with brilliance and professionalism. This picture holds the attention, and not with the differences of narration, but with good expression of meaningless cruelty of all what’s happening on the screen.
SAG - 4 nominations.
BAFTA - 10 nominations.
Oscar - 9 nominations.
And we all wait for results.
Written and translated into English by Me.