Unraveling Greenaway: Two Films, One Unforgettable Experience

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MOVIE REVIEW
A Zed & Two Noughts and The Falls: Two Films by Peter Greenaway
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Genre: Comedy, Drama
Year Released: 1985/1980, 2023 Kino Lorber Blu-ray
Runtime: 1h 56m/3h 14m
Director(s): Peter Greenaway
Writer(s): Peter Greenaway
Cast: Andrea Ferréol, Eric Deacon, Brian Deacon, Peter Westley, Aad Wirtz, Michael Murray/Peter Westley, Aad Wirtz, Michael Murray, Lorna Poulter, Patricia Carr, Adam Leys
Where To Watch: available now from www.kinolorber.com

RAVING REVIEW: In unconventional cinema, Peter Greenaway leaves an indelible imprint with his audacious works, A ZED & TWO NOUGHTS, and THE FALLS. Though individually unique, these narratives meld together through Greenaway's daring approach, forming two varied cinematic journeys. This evaluation dives into the heart of each film and its collective resonance with viewers. Before I viewed these, Greenaway had been very hit-or-miss for me, with two of his movies being home runs and two complete misses that I didn’t get. This experience helps him settle in a much more profound location among the history of famed directors.

A ZED & TWO NOUGHTS invites us into a narrative maze, skillfully entwining threads of obsession, balance, disintegration, and the rhythm of life. This story unfolds against the curious setting of the Rotterdam Zoo, where a peculiar accident involving a swan and a vehicle casts a spell that knits the lives of three characters together: the Deacon brothers, Oliver and Oswald, who are zoologists, and Alba, the lone survivor of the accident, among the stark beauty of decay.

The journey begins with the Deacon brothers as distinct individuals, but as the story unfurls, they morph into enigmatic figures. Their fixation on decay, a grotesque representation of life's transience, cleverly infuses Greenaway's script with surrealistic hues. However, as the plot delves deeper into abstraction, some earlier-introduced concepts lose their sharpness.

The film highlights the enigma that rides the line of life's dawn and dusk, suggesting their intertwined existence in an infinite loop. Greenaway ingeniously deploys a pivotal instrument as the narrative builds to a climax, prompting viewers to reflect on the silent echoes of grief and mourning.

Stepping away from conventional storytelling, A ZED & TWO NOUGHTS relies heavily on striking imagery to deliver its narrative. The film's visual peak is in a scene where Greenaway's ingenious creativity melds seamlessly with Michael Nyman's restrained composition, etching an unforgettable cinematic moment in time.

Turning the page to THE FALLS, we enter the realm of arguably Greenaway's most exceptional experiment. It offers a complex pseudo-documentary-style narrative that encompasses the lives of 92 individuals marked by a bewildering apocalyptic occurrence dubbed the VUE (Violent Unknown Event). This event threads life, linguistics, and aviation mysteries in a perplexing mix.

The storyline winds through the biographies of the VUE's 92 victims, all bearing the last name "Fall." Each tale invites the audience on an exhilarating expedition to piece together biographical bits, gradually revealing the mystery of the VUE. The viewers are not handed a simple linear story; instead, they are lured into a maze of intellectual teasers, nuanced information, and understated humor.

Compared to traditional disaster films, THE FALLS sketches a distinct post-apocalyptic portrait. Instead of descending into anarchy or dystopia, the world adapts, embracing the changes brought about by the cataclysmic VUE with fortitude, encapsulating the classic British sentiment of 'Keep Calm and Carry On.'

The film methodically documents each victim's life alphabetically, emphasizing human experiences' diversity. Greenaway's execution sways between meticulous precision and fantastical ovation, highlighting the attention to detail in data collection while introducing humor that flirts with the surreal.

Both films offer a unique journey under Greenaway's skilled stewardship. Their cumulative effect on the audience is intense. Greenaway's unconventional perspective on life and mortality, depicted through enthralling narratives and impactful imagery, prompts us to consider a broader spectrum of cinematic possibilities.

Product Extras :
Disc 1
– Peter Greenaway commentary and video introduction (6 minutes)
– Greenaway Shorts: H Is for House (1976, 9 minutes), A Walk Through H (1978, 41 minutes)
– Theatrical Trailer

Disc 2
– Vertical Features Remake (1978, 44 minutes)
– Video pieces on The Falls and Vertical Features Remake created by Greenaway

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[photo courtesy of KINO LORBER]