The Oscar-Express at the 75th Venice Film Festival keeps on rolling today with Bradley Cooper’s directorial debut A STAR IS BORN. It’s hard not to use the O-Word when discussing this film, considering the caliber of its makers and the history of this classic Hollywood tale.
Originally made in 1937 with the winner of the first-ever Best Actress Oscar Janet Gaynor in the lead role, that movie and its two subsequent remakes (1954, 1976) have garnered a total of 18 Oscar nominations, winning two. The latest rendition headlined by Lady Gaga and Cooper himself as ballad-belting, star-crossed lovers could well add to that tally in a few months’ time.
The basic storyline remains more or less intact: Jackson (Cooper), a hugely successful country-rocker whose career is falling apart thanks to years of substance abuse, gets blown away by wannabe singer Ally (Gaga) at one of her modest gigs and gives her the stage she never had to become a superstar. They fall in love but must contend with both her sudden fame and those demons from his past.
Each of the previous two remakes, while telling the same story, updated the formula in some essential way. George Cukor first turned it into a musical to capitalize on Judy Garland’s inimitable vocal chops. Frank Pierson, having Barbra Streisand on board, went further and relocated the story from Hollywood to the music industry. In this regard, Cooper’s re-imagining might be the one that sticks closest to its (42-year-old) predecessor. One does notice, however, a couple of material changes – the most prominent of which being the further development of the male lead. Instead of a straightforward case of destructive alcoholism, we learn about Jackson’s rough upbringing, including his difficult relationship with older brother/business manager Bobby (played by Sam Elliot). As such his motivations for doing what he does at the end go beyond reasons of mere male pride as heavily suggested in all previous versions.
This fleshing out of an otherwise rather easily decipherable character is a nice touch. It obviously also gave Cooper more to play with and he didn’t disappoint. Delivering probably the most lived-in, carefully layered performance of his career, his Jackson is both a creature of charisma and self-pity, a drugged-up mess who sees redemption and betrayal in a talented young girl who shoots past him to become the next big thing. Speaking in a distinctly low register throughout and working the crowds, the band and the guitar with great ease, he’s also utterly convincing as a star musician who’s spent decades in the spotlight.
Gaga may not (yet) be Garland or Streisand, but she can command a stage alright. We first see her Ally perform at a drag bar (a peripheral but, considering her real-life persona, fun update), and from the moment she starts to croon the lovely sensual notes of “La Vie En Rose”, there’s no question this is someone who knows what to do with their voice. Her concert debut next to Jackson (the “A star is born!” moment), where she sings the catchy original composition “Shallow”, is a pulse-quickening knock-out as well. Ditto that finale performance of the tsunamic tearjerker “I’ll Never Love Again” (with flashback montage! Not even fair).
Fluidly, organically put together by Cooper featuring his own Oscar-caliber lead turn and a soundtrack blessed by a number of killer tunes, A STAR IS BORN should be box office gold and probably has the Globes musical/comedy categories all sewn up (unless Mary Poppins has something to say about that). As for the Oscars, I’d say at least one (“Shallow”), potentially two (“I’ll Never Love Again”) original songs will rightfully be in contention. Best actor nom very likely, and the always brilliant DP Matthew Libatique might have a shot too (though after yesterday’s ROMA/THE FAVOURITE double bill, this category already seems crowded).
And you know which other movie should be considered for best cinematography in a perfect world? Indie director Rick Alverson’s fifth feature THE MOUNTAIN. Premiering in competition alongside such heavyweights as Cuarón and Lanthimos, this stupefying riddle of a film could conceivably catch the fancy of hardcore cinephile à la Del Toro, but stands little chance for mainstream audiences or major categories with the Academy.
Most likely not meant to be “understood” in any conventional sense of the word, THE MOUNTAIN follows a young man named Andy (Tye Sheridan) who, after his father’s death, becomes an apprentice of sorts to the mysterious lobotomy specialist Dr. Fiennes (Jeff Goldblum) in the hopes of finding his mother. This description belies the obscure nature of the film, which is a heady mix of fragmented narrative and kaleidoscopic visuals. At any given point it’s not easy to figure out exactly what’s going on, as the characters are often placed in surrealist, cartoonishly rigid formations, their actions unexplained, intentions hidden.
And yet somehow Alverson casts through his unique, absurdist screen language quite a compelling spell. Despite the randomness of everything you see (including footage of an unknown ballerina pirouetting in slo-mo and some elaborate ice-skating group choreography inserted for no apparent reason), you instinctively realize not a single detail is there by accident, that there’s a compulsive dream-like logic behind the suggestive, optically captivating incoherence. Think the meticulously manipulated, taxidermically inspired compositions of Roy Andersson with his Scandinavian humor substituted by David Lynch’s brand of dread, and you get a pretty good idea what it’s like to be sucked into THE MOUNTAIN.
Too bad Venice does not give out awards for technical achievements, or Lorenzo Hagerman’s photography and Jacqueline Abrahams’ production design deserve to be in the conversation. But in any case I would watch out for Alverson as potential upset for best director here. Same goes for Goldblum, who’s such an endlessly watchable actor he can’t help but inject charm, intrigue, danger into each frame he appears in and makes whatever implausible scenario interesting, worthy of investigation.
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Gaga fans camping out in the scorching Venice sun since early morning to catch a glimpse of their queen on the red carpet
Apparently The Ballad of Buster Scruggs is minor Coen. But isn’t that still really great?
From what I’ve read online, I think is just not enough in Oscar terms, and less considering the praises caliber for the other new 4 candidates on the run. But of course that we can really enjoy a new western Coen film, right?.
Darkest Hour got into Best Picture with an even lower Metascore, 75, but it had loyal support from a certain conservative segment of the Academy. Maybe the keen support for the Coens could be enough for Buster Scruggs too, with its score of 76.
The thing is it doesn’t look like a typical Oscar movie, in contrast with the Oscar bait and classic kind of awards movie that was Darkest Hour (and I’m just talking about how it looks to the world, because I think the movie had enough reasons to be nominated on its own, no matter its Metacritic score).
There were some good elements in the film, yes: the acting, the set design, the cinematography, etc. Unfortunately, the sum was not greater than the parts. It gave biopics a bad name, and others like First Man may suffer for it now.
I don’t know about that, it might be the opposite, since it seems that the academy is making an effort to be linked with mainstream culture this year. It depends of how much of an impact this movie will have at the box office, how the soundtrack will perform, etc, it can be hit a la the Blinde Side, but with much better reviews btw.
Also, The Favourite and Roma might have a hard time in the oscar context for complete different reasons, but let’s see what happens.
Oh sorry, i thought you were talking about both A Star is Born and The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, and I was here advocating for the gaga musical, haha, my bad.
It’s right now at 76 at Metacritic so it’s doing well … but it looks low compared to everything else so far in Venice.
Since it’s an anthology apparently some parts are really fantastic and others are seriously minor coen but to me that sounds like it’s definitely worth seeing!
I don’t trust opinions on Coen brothers after people called Hail, Caesar! minor, instead of acknowledging how brilliant that is.
The Oscars didn’t need to create that category this year. They could just hand Oscars to Black Panther and Lady Gaga!
I’m eating crow for saying bad things about A Star is Born. 88 Metacritic?
I’m really glad for Lady Gaga this is successful. She was one of the best things about pop music in embracing the artificiality of the genre for artistic intent, yet she always had more substance as well. I’m glad this is good.
30 years ago Cher won the oscar for best actress under Reagan’s administration.
Will Gaga win hers under Trump’s?
Gay culture is screaming for that! With outrageous outfits!
I can’t even deal with this thought… i’m so excited, let’s wait and see what happens.
just here now to cheer on Cooper’s Best Director win.
This might turns out to be the best Venice in years. Just 2.5 days in and already 5 films got critically acclaimed (Roma, The Favourite, Doubles Vies, A Star is Born, and First Man).
And we’re still waiting for heavyweights such as Buster Scruggs, Peterloo, Suspiria, Napszállta, The Sisters Brothers, At Eternity’s Gate, Werk ohne Autor, and 22 July.
Also interested in Capri-Revolution, The Nightingale, and Killing.
well tbf last year lineup is also good. TSOW, 3B, Custody, Zama, Sweet Country, Foxtrot, First Reformed, Ex Libris are great.
What’s “Double Vies”?. I haven’t heard of that one.
I’m also impressed with the selections of Venice festival. It looks like they really know their stuff. On the other hand, going there apparently is too expensive and there’s no more than 2-3 buzzed films per day, a lot less than what TIFF offers.
Non-Fiction in English, Assayas’ new comedy with Binoche in it.
Tbf 2-3 new film that was in competition per day is a good pace for me. I’m not one that can indulge too many films per day, especially when it’s thought-provoking.
It sounds healthy to be honest. You’re making a very good point. This will be my first time going to a Festival, so I’ll see how it is to get on a rollercoaster of films one after the other. Hoping I can enjoy the experience anyway bro.
This is just an awesome time in cinema lover’s calendar every year. I love it.
So excited for you its so much fun to be around other movie maniacs! I saw 8 films and stood in line for 11 hours in 4 days there. Rushed 2 films got into 1, what a thrill that was. It’s exhausting but worth it. The major problem I had was I had no time to eat! I really can’t see more than 3 films a day. It’s sometimes really a rollercoaster seeing just that many. Now I enjoy going to winsors film festival every year:) shorter lines, cheaper ticket prices, great lineups
12 reviews in on Metacritic for A Star is Born and it’s at an 88 average. Three perfect reviews, and lowest is a 70
Out of those 12, the lowest is 60, actually. Not that the lowest matters.
Venice is on fire this year, 4 massive Oscar contenders in 3 days : First Man, Roma, The Favourite, A Star Is Born.
Side note : I’m all for the last of those to make a big splash, if it is deserving, all the better, and if her performance is great, then the nomination should happen, sure, but fair warning, I will probably throw a fit if Lady Gaga wins an acting Oscar before Glenn Close does and not for some snobbish, cynical reason, simply because I honestly can not see not just Gaga but ANYONE getting close to the sheer brilliance of Close’s nuanced, skilled tour-de-force performance in The Wife.
With the other versions coming out in 1937, 1954 and 1976, we were due for a remake in the late 90s, but it sounds like Coopers version was worth the 40 year wait! My two most anticipated films were this and First Man, so I’m glad both are getting positive feedback. Sounds like Cooper has more of a chance for an Oscar nom than Gosling does though.