Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #4789 in DVD
• Released on: 2009-01-26
• Rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
• Format: PAL
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 117 minutes

Synopsis
After creating the visually impressive film THE CELL in 2000, director Tarsem Singh dropped his last name to become simply Tarsem. His follow up, THE FALL, is just as beautiful as his previous work and features a stamp of approval from David Fincher and Spike Jonze. Like those celebrated directors, Tarsem got his start in the highly visual medium of music videos, and THE FALL is appropriately one of the most striking films to hit the screen in recent memory. Set in Los Angeles in 1915, the story revolves around a five-year-old girl (Catinca Untaru) named Alexandria, who wanders around a hospital after breaking her arm. There she meets bedridden Roy (Lee Pace of PUSHING DAISIES), a Hollywood stuntman who is paralyzed after an ill-fated attempt to impress a woman. Roy beguiles Alexandria with a tale that mirrors his own failed romance but his imagination takes it to new levels. People in the hospital appear in the story a la THE WIZARD OF OZ, but it's a surreal, fantastic epic that enchants Alexandria and convinces her to bring morphine pills to Roy so he can commit suicide.


Based on the Bulgarian film YO HO HO, THE FALL is an excellent example of a triumph of style over substance. The plot is interesting and the acting is solid--particularly the work from first-time Romanian actress Untaru--but it's hard to pay attention to any of that when Colin Watkinson's cinematography and Ged Clarke's production design are so stunning. Though Tarsem is working in a vein similar to Guillermo del Toro and Terry Gilliam, THE FALL is a uniquely gorgeous work that will impress anyone who values beauty in film.

Customer Reviews

Magnificent work of art!
This is my first review on amazon. I couldn't resist writing a rave review of this movie as i bought the U.S import a couple of months ago and was absolutely blown away. Since purchasing this blu ray it has become my reference disk. There are scenes on here that you will be desperate to show your friends who don't have access to HD movies and screens.

Ok, so about the film itself. It's about a stuntman who awakes in hospital after a stunt goes wrong. He befriends a young girl staying there who is facinated with him and over the following days he tells her an epic fairy tale about a group of heros on a quest to kill the evil governor odeous. Simple enough plot, but revealing anymore would ruin your enjoyment of the film. It quickly gets dark and sinister. The movie resembles the director's other work (the cell - which i also loved) and is absolutely beautiful to watch. The transfer is first rate and the sound is crisp and clear.

It is comparable to other 'grown up' fantasy stories like big fish, and is an absolute must watch for fans of 'The Cell' and those who follow the work of directors such as Burton, Gilliam, or del Toro. There are some interesting and surprising facts about the production of this film revealed on the extras, which are definatley worth a watch if you've enjoyed the movie. This film will not be enjoyed by everyone, but those with a bit of an open mind and imagination will adore it as i do. A must watch for fans of dark fantasy tales and original and visually stunning filmaking.

Sublime
The visual quality of the Blu-ray edition of this film is absolutely stupendous. Couple this with a sublime soundtrack and you have an absolute treat of a movie.
As the film progresses, we are woven into an increasingly disjointed mix of reality and fable where the main protagonists' inner thoughts and forms take shape - moulding the direction of the story.
I've read reviews which state the story is perhaps simplistic, yet the astute viewer will see seemingly irrelevant scenes from earlier in the film grow in import as the plot unfolds.
Each scene is so beautifully shot that they almost distract from the story, but the acting is so solid that attention is held by both story and the beautiful Cinematograph.
A film I wholeheartedly recommend.

A visual treat
This is definately one for the BD collection! The quality of the visuals in this flick are first rate and will certainly vindicate those who support the new format... some amazingly rendered scenes, stunning backdrops, incredible cinematography and ultimately well directed.

The plot is really nice, 'the fall' by the lead character (Lee Pace) is well realised, but seems to jump in too quick (one minute he's ok; next he's a jibbering wreck).

The way the 'story' progresses is lovely, and you can't help but want to hear the next installment when the film takes a break from the fantasy to bring us up to date with what's going on in the 'real world'.

I can't help but feel that the ending seemed to be a bit 'limp' - the ending scenes themselves were brilliant... but it just didn't hang together so well. A few other reviewers have said that the storyline didn't match up to the quality of the visuals... I guess that has something to do with it.

All in all though, a really enjoyable 4-out-of-5 film, well acted, beautiful film... not quite a Guillero del Toro quality story though...