Julianne Moore
Fernando Meirelles's Film Adaptation of Jose Saramago's Novel, Starring Julianne Moore
Fernando Meirelles's film adaptation of Jose Saramago's novel, Blindness, can leave you looking for more. High expectations abound from the director who gave us the visually and emotionally riveting City of God and the conspiracy charged, The Constant Gardener.
The casting of Blindness also ups the ante of expectations with Julianne Moore, Mark Ruffalo, Danny Glover, Gael Garcia Bernal, Maury Chaykin and Sandra Oh. Even with the stylistic directing, engrossing performances and undeniably engaging plot vehicle of a blindness epidemic, the film seems to fall short sighted.
Meirelles channels his visionary directing style once again with Cinematographer, Cesar Charlone (City of God) to a beautiful, though at times dizzying wash of celluloid. The filmmaking style holds visual footnotes from the Flemish and Dutch masters of the Dutch Golden Age of Painting, such as The Bruegel Dynasty of painters and Rembrandt. These painters brought a realism to painting unforeseen, capturing the nuances of everyday life.
There are several scenes in Blindness that capture still moments seemingly emulative of Dutch Master Portrait painting. Not to mention a still-life of fruit in a bowl, as well as a nude shot of a rather plump woman highly reminiscent of Rembrandt's work.
Although, given the heightened doomsday scenario of Blindness, Meirelles takes on a harsh and gruesome realism. Please read the full review at my page on Associated Content.
