Why went to the jungle Percy Fawcett in the movie “The Lost City of Z” – write in the programs. No, at the very beginning, a plausible explanation is given - this expedition is a chance to restore the good reputation of the family, thoroughly tarnished by his father, a gambler and a drunkard. And then it's gonna go bad. Fawcett wants it, he doesn't. A reversal in consciousness produces the finding of some shards among the vines. Viewers will not even be shown large, so as not to give rise to questions. All from evil. That's it. Fawcett can't live without it, then a trifle makes him come back. War, wife, son. For a real director, the most interesting thing is in the intervals between these states - what made a person change so much? Just for James Gray. It was like that, because I want it. Because it doesn't matter. But then what's important about this opus? It has long been known that the main viewer lives in the city. A poorly educated citizen (and most of them) is dragged to the movies, promising an attraction that is impossible on TV. Exotic jungles of the Amazon, filmed with modern high-resolution cinema equipment - the very same. Plus evil savages and treasure hunts. The trouble is that this model worked out and perfected Spielberg in Indiana Jones. Repeating with the same level of scripting and directorship is almost impossible. Therefore, James Gray, as a native of art house, decided to doom himself to comparison with Werner Herzog - fewer viewers will notice this.
Jungle. Herzog's jungle isn't hell. They are full of secrets for aliens from Europe and they are home to natives. No one in Herzog has yellow fever or spit blood. Gray at the beginning of the expedition, everyone lies in a semi-conscious state from tropical diseases, absolutely without feelings, in a couple of minutes to magically recover without medication and even without shamans. Italian opera music, flowing from the gramophone installed by Fitzcarraldo on the deck of his steamer sailing along the Amazon, magically does not contrast with nature on the principle of savagery and civilization, but harmoniously combine in a single image of creation. It was opera music that silenced the invisible Indian drums heard from the thicket. The hero of the “Lost City of Z” Percy Fosset could not see the film “Fitzcarraldo”, but somehow knows about the magical effect of music on the Indians. As vicious anonymous creatures attack civilized English travelers, Fawcett exclaims to his friends, “Song now!” And they sang some English march in screaming voices, after which the shocked Indians stopped the attack. What is it? A mockery of the naive romance of Fitzcarraldo and Herzog? Or are the less civilized peoples equally precipitated, both before the genius of Caruso and before the goat of Fosset?
Music. It was for the sake of music that Brian Fitzgerald started his adventurous and doomed journey. For the opportunity to see Caruso alive on the stage of the Manaus Opera he sleepless, rowing on his boat from Iquitos. Hands bandaged, a boiled-white costume once in divorces and rags, and the performance has already begun, and there are no tickets. But the final chord is played in the film in honor of those who only seem mad in their harmony with music and nature. Indian drums and a choir from Mascagni’s “Rural Honor” at Herzog on the same river sound absolutely in unison: the creation is diverse, it gives scope to the imagination and flight of the spirit, a huge steamer with the Indians drags over the mountain and the invisible Caruso, whose voice accompanies this difficult and painful operation. Gray will also have an opera in The Lost City (damn it!). At some mine, with some dwarf in the cylinder, in the light of torches. What do they sing? The dog knows him. Who's in the room? Shadows. How did artists get into such a mess? Unknown! Why would a director do that? Well, you need to surprise the viewer with something - why not an opera in the jungle?
Indians. In Herzog's film, there were not too many Indian arrows released. I remember one. I could be wrong, but there was no such thing as Gray’s movie. But how terrible it was when in complete silence a huge tribe of Indians on pies rushed after the steamer. Nobody shot anything. And birds chirped over the Amazon. And Indians can row silently. The logic of their actions is unclear at first, but they are people of another world. And then there is Herzog’s artistic logic, which united these two worlds into one. It is the Master Creator who has sent to meet each other the one who must accomplish the feat for the glory of the Music of the upper spheres. In the film, Gray has Indian characters from the zoo. Someone can negotiate, waving a handkerchief over his head, repeating the strange Spanish word for the Indians “amigos”, and someone generally eats human food. In the depiction of wild tribes, Gray reaches the pinnacle of comicalism, though hardly planned. Fawcett and his friends are running away from the Indians with red feathers on their heads, who don’t care about the headscarf with “amigos”. As a result, the joggings stumble upon Indians with blue feathers, who did not even have time to wave their headscarf, believing that they were trapped. But the Indians with blue feathers, white people care much less than their counterparts, who chased the white ones. In the end, the Indians killed each other, helping to save the white aliens. What is God, what is the common creation?
Team. Fitzcarraldo went on a dangerous journey in the company of finished scum. Who could recruit on the ship this slut in practical life - they went. Gray's gonna have a scumbag ship. Who there fought with whom, because of what, what their faces - everything is erased from memory, as soon as the episode ends. As a gift from the creators of the picture, Fosset received associates-collaborators. Who it is, what it is for, what they want, what they love, what they live - these questions are easier to ask chests on a raft.
That's all, strictly speaking. “Fitzcarraldo” and “Aguirre – the wrath of God” once turned the mind, raised above the ordinary, reminded that there is music of the Upper Realms and is the Mystery of the Universe. Werner Herzog can domesticate the Amazon jungle, the Australian desert and make a cool exotic state German town and one-story America. He feels the mystery and harmony of the world. And he never ceases to wonder. Grey's young. He made a name for himself on low-budget atrohaus paintings, the action of which was closed in the space of urban apartments. Going to the expanses of the Amazon, he did not think of anything better than to take the legendary movie and bring to this incredible living scent of life and the universe his nasty dead smell – money and the box office. And it's not funny at all.
There is a fireplace for me Having spent his entire adult life working with some of the most experienced directors and producers in Hollywood, Brad Pitt seems to have acquired a stunningly sensitive sense of success. His production company Plan B Entertainment consistently from year to year produces only a truly worthwhile movie, which necessarily collects a heap of the most prestigious awards. ' Tree of Life', ' Departed'Game to demotion' and the same '12 years of slavery' for which the actor received his first and so far only statuette of the American Film Academy. What's there, even last year's triumphant 'Moonlight' was created with the participation of Pitt. 'The Lost City of Z', Brad's latest production project may not collect a full basket of Oscars. But this film is another proof of the acute intuition of the actor, who knows how to choose the most spectacular and cinematic plots. Brad, however, did not play the main role in this film, as originally planned, but this did not impoverish the film. Because without its presence on the screen 'The Lost City of Z' is able to impress and delight the viewer in a seemingly long-forgotten way. It's a joke, the picture lasts almost two and a half hours - by the standards of the audience brought up on music videos and YouTube videos - deadly long. So asks a silly phrase, in the spirit of ' this clock flies completely unnoticed' but this, in principle, is true. The viewer simply does not need to follow the time: in the Amazon jungle there is nowhere to charge the phone, and the wristwatch has long broken, so there is simply no concept of time here. And we, picked up by the current, swim through this time, watching the life of the brave Major Percy Fawcett, and somewhere in the background, the First World War begins, icebreakers go to the shores of the Arctic, Percy's children grow up, mustaches turn gray, and the major becomes a colonel. At the same time, the narrative constantly takes away from jungle research and we observe litigation, military everyday life and the life of deer hunters, but, surprisingly, all the mundane events here are no less interesting to follow than the adventures of cartographers. 'The Lost City of Z' recalls those classic Hollywood epics of the middle of the last century, like 'Lawrence of Arabia' or 'Bridge over the River Kwai' The unhurried narrative, covering a total of more than a quarter of a century, shows the story of ordinary people, romantics and dreamers, against the backdrop of great historical events and incredibly beautiful landscapes. Even filmed on thirty-five millimeter film, as in those days ' Golden Hollywood'. Cinematographer Darius Honji, who directed the best films of David Fincher, followed the characters literally through fire and water, managing to equally impressively capture both military battles and fermentation in the jungle. The director of this film, James Gray, among European film critics is commonly called the new Scorsese, although, in this work, he manifested himself more like David Lin. With Lin’s inherent scope, he follows the fate of Major Fawcett, inspired by his impossible dream, managing to infect the viewer with the same obsessive and tempting idea that the main character is ill with. For the Russian viewer, this movie can remind the long-forgotten feelings of worrying for the heroes 'In Search of Captain Grant' Like in the song about the place, ' where it is easy to find a wanderer shelter, where you are sure to remember and wait' Percy Fawcett and his fearless companions, day after day, losing or confusing track, go to the very city that does not exist. Perhaps someone watching the trailer could think that he was waiting for a new variation on the theme of the remote adventures of Indiana Jones, but, in fact, the desperate search for the lost city by the major is perhaps the absolute opposite of the stories about the archaeologist with a whip. James Gray in this picture unwittingly resembled Martin Scorsese and created, in fact, the same ' Silence', only devoid of religious messages. The hero of Charlie Hunnam, as well as the Jesuit priests, seeks to go through hardship and suffering to find at least some evidence of the existence of an ancient civilization, as if trying to hear the voice of God. And for indisputable proofs of the faithfulness of his own unrealizable idea, he accepts the fragments of clay pots and symbols carved on stones that could be imagined by him, as well as the face of Christ on the water surface. Major Fawcett was born at the wrong time with his ideas that 'savage' in fact, also people who are no worse, but in some ways better than us. Of course, in an archaic society that is just about to shake up the old foundations of war, his ideas are laughed at. Interestingly, the real hero of this story really his thoughts ahead of the time in which he lived, and only recently modern researchers have confirmed that the mythical city of Z is exactly where he was looking for Fosset. It can be assumed that the closest references of director James Gray were two films, which together with ' The Lost City of Z' even in some sense complement each other, thereby turning into a conventional trilogy. Take a look at these pristine rainforests and the most realistically recreated Indian tribes - if the white man disappears from the frame and any traces of his existence, then we can instantly find ourselves in the Apocalypse & #39; Mel Gibson. There, in all colors, was shown this paradise city of Z, which is so dreamed of seeing Major Fawcett, and the greatness of which will fall immediately after the God appeared far on the horizon, taking the form of Spanish ships. Where Gibson's painting ends begins the shockingly realistic 'Aguirre, wrath of God' Werner Herzog. Literally along the same paths and river paths where the Major's expedition moved, a few hundred years before he had already tried to find the lost golden city of the equally fearless and even insane Aguirre. His journey ended like that of Fosset, and it proves once again that under the moon nothing is new, and dreamers are the same madmen. Although, it is worth paying tribute to the director: he allowed himself to add a small touch in the finale of the film, which cancels all the gloom and hopelessness of the story and makes the audience breathe out with surprise. Something similar was done by Ang Lee at the end of "Life of P'", which made viewers, like Gray, wonder about the inconsistency and ambiguity of this already confusing story. 9 out of 10 Original
If you ask a boy what to see to light up, I’ll say “The Lost City of Z” because it carries the right values. Thirst. A thirst for adventure, a thirst for knowledge and recognition. A family in which spouses are partners; friends who support always; necessary for the development of qualities: valor, ambition, dignity, perseverance, purposefulness. A guide star for a young man.
Major Percy Fawcett is not very good at military affairs - he does not have a single medal, but he has experience in cartography. He will travel to Bolivia to map the river, which serves as a natural border. A native guide will tell him about the “old city full of gold and corn” hidden in the jungle. From now on, Percy's heart belongs to the lost city. He has a dream that becomes purpose and meaning.
Whether the hero will find the city, how his future life will develop, which flows during the First World War, we will learn further.
From the negative:
Charlie Hunnam, for all his pleasure, has very modest acting data, often shows only a tense-squeamish expression of his face.
Inappropriate feminism "in the course of the play." We understand that not every modern woman is ready to wait for her husband for years, but let’s not forget that events unfold in the early XX century, for a military wife to wait is the norm. For example, the authors emphasize the progressive views of the Fawcett family. And only a person who is able to go beyond public opinion is able to make a discovery (by the ears, well, come on).
The racist prejudices of that time were also normal. Why stress the limitation of the period? It seems that this is the curtsey of the creators towards “equality”. Do not belittle the intellectual abilities of the viewer - everyone is able to make a discount for the duration of the action.
Pros:
Few people have been to real rainforests (only passed by). The authors do not romanticize the search - they show the severity of the campaign (illness, hunger, growing discontent, constant danger); as well as war (life in the trenches, chemical weapons, wounds); the life of natives and newcomers in Bolivia is interesting.
The pair of Percy and Nina command respect, truly equal partners. “Behind every great man stands a great woman.” Nina, as a faithful assistant, a wise mother, demonstrates the best feminine qualities. To their heroes fits the definition - infallible, worthy.
The support and faith of friends; a shoulder you can always count on (remember how his team moved into Percy's control during the war).
What happened to the heroes? The finale is unambiguous, but the last scene with their participation leaves an aftertaste that they have dissolved into the world they wanted to find.
Adventure is a metaphor for life: someone has it in the jungles of Bolivia, someone – on the TV screen, and someone among everyday tasks. Choose.
The function of the ancient Greek tragedy was to educate worthy citizens, and the Lost City of Z is designed to educate worthy young men, give them the right guidelines. Yes, the Avengers are also trying to sow eternal good, but behind a bunch of entertainment it is difficult to see the seeds.
What's didactic? In our world, where the attributes of status rule (only now a machine instead of a medal), one can forget that character makes a man. At all times, a man of deed and honor will win from cowardice, vanity, empty talk and bombast. There will be legends and films about him. They will be admired and respected.
The film is essentially a dry biography of jungle explorer Percy Fawcett. Unfortunately, the filmmakers chose a monotonous style of storytelling, which makes viewing simply boring.
Jungle travel has taken a back seat. In general, it seems that the film is trying to embrace the immense: relations with his wife, with his eldest son, finding yourself, war, defending reputation. Jungle scenes are interspersed with scenes in prim England. And here, it seems, the contrast should have played - but no, the narrative is very, even too smooth. If there are hints of conflicts (for example, a quarrel with his wife, Mr. Murray’s claims in geographical society) – they are not really resolved, and the denouement remains behind the scenes.
One gets the impression that the director did not shoot a book by David Grann, but an article about Fawcett on Wikipedia. And at the same time did it as scrupulously and detached as possible. I assume that this is done intentionally, but in the end the main character does not cause any special sympathy, and it is difficult to understand him. And the film itself looks like a kaleidoscope of individual sketches on the topic, not connected with each other dramatically and emotionally.
After watching, the question remains – what exactly did you want to say? The meaning of the film, like its ending, hung in the air.
A beautiful film, in which at some points catches and vaib "Apocalypse Now", and "Apocalypto", and "Fitzcarraldo".
But these references arise rather from discretion, and the story itself is still woven from a very special threads of the delicately sensitive James Gray, who in the great and dangerous journey of the heroes sees a large-scale, but quiet battle within the person himself.
A man craving new discoveries and a life in boundless space, away from these gray walls and narrow streets, and the noise of the crowd, which is all humming, all drizzling before his eyes, and at the same time a man who has great obligations to those he loves.
Hunnam's hero is a good family man, but in a distorted sense - he loves the family he created, but his heart is constantly asking deep into the tropics: to study, comprehend, go on roads on which a person has never set foot before, swim through this mighty greenery and as if nothing was at all afraid.
Gray again traces a very touching (probably his personal gestalt) line of the father’s relationship with his child. In To the Stars, Pitt’s hero is ready to go to the other end of the universe, just to find there among the stars of his father who once left him, look into his eyes and find out why it so happened that he turned out to be less important to his own parent than the conquest of space – black nothing, cold, alienating space.
In The Lost City of Z, Gray, by contrast, enters this territory from the point of view of a parent forced to be more absent from the life of a beloved child than to be part of it. He is tormented by this impossible choice - how to give his son the feeling that he is always there, even if he is physically on the other side of the world? How do you track the moment when you stop giving your loved ones your love and start stealing their time - a valuable waiting time that now fills their lives?
The scenes with Hunnam are very soft, but so piercing. It is obvious that he broadcasts the pain of Gray himself, but how convincingly he does it – in the silence when he does not speak himself, but listens to loved ones and realizes how much time he missed and how great the scale of his loss.
At the same time, this is an absolutely amazing story of overcoming the human spirit of any adversity, difficulties, dangers, the clarity of reason, the purity of the view of the world and the gift of feelings - deep, large-scale, at full power. This is the world, and you are not a hunter, but an inquisitive explorer. How big is the world? What secrets does it contain? But most importantly, where in this world I belong. . .
It seems to me that Gray’s films are shot primarily at those who know the feeling of loneliness – not total, but in the sense that the depth of the loss you have experienced is inexpressible, and you can tell this to someone except with these beautiful images, hopeful eyes of the heroes and the beauty of the space around them, seen by the camera as they rush into new worlds, cross all imaginable boundaries in a desperate attempt to find again the one they once lost.
They will be defeated (of course), but they know that even with this outcome, the journey was worth it. “The Lost City of Z”, “To the Stars” is essentially a gaping hole in the heart, with which you learn to live, but the aching pain from which never subsides.
And the most amazing thing is that a special beauty is born on the edges of this wound.
Often, the rating of a film among the audience is an adequate measure of its quality. But there are exceptions, both in one direction and in the other. In my opinion, 'The Lost City of Z' is a case where the film is clearly underrated. It was because of the low ratings that I put off watching it, but yesterday I decided to watch it (mainly because of Charlie Hunnam) and I was very pleased! And the reason for the low rating immediately became clear: it is not Indiana Jones, in short. Here you will not see any sparkling humor from the main character, no shootouts, no exciting chase scenes. In general, almost no action and romance. All you can see in the movie ': The Lost City of Z' is life. The life of a man with a capital letter, a famous explorer, a brave soldier and just a real man, Percy Fawcett.
This life was full of adventures. Damn it, she was one big adventure herself! And the main purpose of this adventure was the search for a mysterious ancient city lost somewhere in the jungle of the Amazon. Cities of Z, as Percy Fawcett himself called it.
The image of Percy Fosset performed by Charlie Hunnam is the main plus of the film, in my opinion. He commanded me great respect. To be honest, I even wanted to be like him. The thirst for adventure and exploration inherent in the male nature, courage and courage, firmness of character and devotion to his family and friends - all these qualities I saw in the image of the main character. And that's exactly what got me the most.
Well, as for the rest of the cast, they only added to the excitement of Charlie Hunnam's game. Everybody liked it. Especially Sienna Miller as Mrs. Fosset and Robert Pattinson as Henry Costin, Percy Fosset's friend and henchman. I never thought he would make a decent Batman. Now I do.
In addition to the great acting, it is worth noting the excellent work of the director and operator. Thanks to them, as well as the decision to shoot a film in a real jungle, ' The Lost City of Z' turned out to be very realistic and beautiful.
That’s all I can say about this painting. It's really much better than its viewership rating. I hope that this review will help someone decide to watch this wonderful film. That’s what happened to me: apart from starring Charlie Hunnam, my decision to spend two and a half hours watching this movie was influenced by reading a few positive reviews. And as it turned out, this time I was not wasted.
8 out of 10
P.S. I almost forgot! Another factor that pushed me to watch was the high rating of the film among film critics. It was interesting who was right in this case: the average viewer or the film critic. Most often, if there are disagreements, I take the side of the viewer (which I am). However, this time I am on the side of film critics.
This film is not at all like modern biopics or adventure films. James Gray tries to move away from the narrative - born, married, fought. He snatches the brightest moments from the hero’s life, like scraps of memory that flash in the last moments of life. It comes out very majestic, large-scale, monumental. It captures the most important thing.
The most amazing thing is that the wilds of the Amazon occupy the most important place in the picture. Yeah, that's the main character's passion. But other points are highlighted. However, it would be unbearably boring if the film took place exclusively in the jungle. But the transition to the battles of the First world is very bright. Several scenes filled with incredible visual expressiveness. You don't need more.
But there will be beautifully designed debates in geographical society and touching scenes in the family. Do not forget the unexpected finale that draws us into the wilds of archetypes.
In general, this film can easily mislead the viewer. Shoot this Steven Spielberg, this tape without any preconditions enrolled in the masterpieces. But here James Gray does not leave the viewer any chances shooting a powerful, memorable work that deserves the highest ratings. Charlie Hunnam, Tom Holland, Pattinson, Siena Miller - all of them can consider the tape their great achievement. We can say that each of them strengthened in its star status, if not stood on a notch higher.
8 out of 10
An epic sacred story from which I did not expect much and therefore was very pleasantly surprised. I’ve never heard the name Percy Fawcett (or his feminist wife) before. Penetrating, highly artistic, vintage. I was very bribed by the acting, the dialogue that you listen to, and especially the atmosphere of transmigration of souls. Coincidentally, around this time, I became interested in watching documentaries about the Amazon Indians, their traditions and attitudes. That’s why the film played on me like a note. The final scene (open ending!) combined with Christopher Spelman’s magical soundtrack touched on something karmic.
On imdb a lot of curious trivia - especially about shooting in the jungle (according to Coppola's will, they should not get carried away with it).
Even more interesting is the story of Fosset himself, for whom there are several versions of life. I was very offended by, let’s say, an obsessive desire that I see as a desire to find my place in life. Not a thirst for glory or accomplishment, but inner harmony, a place for the soul. It is worth considering the fact that Percy himself was fond of Eastern beliefs.
In general, I interpreted the story this way: it is a kind of transmigration of the soul - she found a place in the Amazon (perhaps it has to do with her past life) and could not calm down until she was there. A person was forced to put obstacles in front of him all his life, overcome them, break himself, adjust and be in constant depression - this is the price of lack of peace of mind. He was not afraid of the complexities, the deadly dangers of traveling to another uncharted continent. I was not afraid to leave my family for a few years. I wasn't afraid to be wrong. He was incredibly hardy, as he survived even in the most dangerous conditions of the unfriendly jungle. And all in order to get back there... I think only the soul can lead such motives.
Why Z City? Z is the last letter of the English alphabet. For Fawcett, it symbolized the final stage of the development of human knowledge, beyond which only the limit of the development of mankind as a species. Z is the end of improvement. Fascinated by the culture and worldview of the Amazon Indians, he believed that the search for this city, which belonged to a more intelligent and perfect civilization, would provide answers to many modern questions and suggest the path along which humanity needs to evolve.
P.S. If Fosset were alive in our time, he would definitely be with Jose Carlos Meireles, who would protect him from the Indian arrow.
Another untimely film that failed at the box office. Biographical sketch about Colonel Percy Fawcett, who made 8 trips to the Amazon jungle and went missing on the 9th expedition in search of a lost ancient civilization. The film passed unnoticed, because it raises the question of antiquity, which no one else is interested in today.
Yes, the picture turned out to be dry, limited to three trips, which are also planned too dotted and monotonous, but with enough meditative pauses that raise the very questions about the grounds that so irritate the playmarket man (sibi pulchri). The viewer wanted juicy colorful jungle, adventurous adventures, and he faded picture and some indistinct poetic digressions.
However, it’s really hard to understand Fawcett’s obsession with software applications. The colonel was a man of classical empire, concerned not only with the savage by our standards – the cursus honorum (“the way of honor”), but also – you can fuck – with questions of meaning, purpose, beginnings, that is – “where we come from, why we are here, where we are going.” In one episode-quintessence of the picture, the Indian guide tells Fawcett:
There used to be a great people here. People lived in a beautiful city of gold and corn. These people are older than the English. The city stood in the middle of a dense forest. No white man could find them. I pity you Englishmen, I am free, but you can not leave the jungle.
After that, the colonel plunges into disturbing thoughts. Such stories of degraded descendants of long-lost civilizations always frighten the active agent of a still living empire, another homo honorum, falling under the heavy footsteps of history, because they tell him about his future, that empires do not last forever, that his, in this case, British Civilization, the beautiful City of banks and companies, will someday fall and get lost in the dense forests of time as the City of gold and corn.
In a rod-stripped slave, Fawcett sees himself. It is the burning desire to avoid such a fate, the fate of fall, oblivion and degradation that forces the honorum to search for an ancient city, the beginning as the source of the problem, the discovery of which may help to unravel the mystery of inevitable future death.
That's where this paranoid archaeological mania of empires comes from - digging up and liberating the past while one's own future moves toward oblivion. Desperate work of restoration, it is like removing only the first layer, while on your head falls already fiftieth, one shovel to the top, a hundred shovels down — hard, exhausting and hopeless business, but the fear of being buried alive was great.
Octavian Augustus collected huge bones of unseen animals (possibly ancient reptiles), Britain dragged ancient debris from the Middle East, and how good it is that we have long since got rid of the fear of forgetting, from now on we just give a positive fuck, we are “free” from imperial worries like this Indian.
7 out of 10
The adventure genre has always caught my attention and continues to do so for various reasons and preferences. Here you and colorful countries from the desert to the tropics and from the sea to the mountains. Here are the heroes, the plot unfolding around the journey, most often embellished with excitement for treasure. But 'The Lost City' in all its constancy avoided all this, demonstrated everything in a somewhat gray and secondary color. What then does the film demonstrate? It is better not to know, or rather not to try to understand. No one has ever been so cruel to the viewer. For more than two hours we have been trying to prove the significance of events. They are painted for reality by already forgotten celebrities or events, such as the First World War. And in the midst of all this, the Great Explorer stands up, everyone applauds him, calls him, wants to help him, glorifies him, as if he had stepped on the surface of Mars. But the most banal thing is that he never discovered anything special, did not achieve, did not prove. And the whole film, the viewer persistently waits, watches and believes that all this nightmare is about to disappear and the discovery of the century will appear before us. The dull background resembles the muddy water of the river, which moves treacherously slowly, and in the end the intrigue turns out to be a ridiculous discovery of a small settlement, he has no name, and the very belonging to the object of search is questionable. But the whole world believed, he waited and how it turned out nothing. What the director wanted to show is unknown. Weak acting, terrible music, plot and its offshoots like the conflict between fathers and children. The only thing the film crew did was make them watch the film and believe in the best changes, but it only reinforced the negative opinion.
In 1906, Major Percy Fawcett went to the Amazon on behalf of the Royal Geographical Society to map the disputed borderlands between Brazil and Bolivia. Over the years, the official topographical mission will turn into a fateful, all-consuming passion: for the rest of his days, Fawcett will search in the Brazilian jungle for evidence of the existence of an unknown prehistoric civilization and its lost capital, the city of Z. In 1925, Percy Fawcett was convinced he was closer than ever. Together with his eldest son, he set up an eighth expedition deep into the unexplored Amazon. No one else has heard of them.
One hundred years later, New York journalist David Grann will write about this book “The Lost City of Z: A Tale of the disastrous obsession with the Amazon”, and then director James Gray will shoot a film of the same name on it.
One hundred years later, in the age of sysadmins, content managers, and life coaches, romance is not easy. No more chimney sweeps, rat-catchers, lamplighters, navigators, librarians, postmen and lighthouse keepers disappear. But most importantly, there were no travelers. No, no, don't get it wrong: today everyone who is not lazy travels - from the North Pole to Tierra del Fuego. But those dashing pioneers, the pioneers of the unheard of, the explorers of the unexplored, the discoverers of the undiscovered, all these "Dr. Livingston, I suppose" - they are not. Extinct like mammoths. Disappeared along with white spots on the map.
A hundred years later, all we have to do is watch movies. But that’s a lot, if you think about it.
One hundred years later, to the thundering of a blockbuster conveyor and the acid flicker of a limokay, James Gray shot an amazingly beautiful, old-fashioned, defiantly leisurely costumed drama with full-scale shootings, steam locomotives, Victorian hats, Indians, piranhas, planters, cannibals, the incredible Charlie Hunnam, the brilliant Robert Pattinson and the delightful Sienna Miller.
A movie about dream and faith, about love and passion, about life and death. But there was no death at that time. It was invented a hundred years later, when there were no white spots on the map.
On the background of most releases of recent time, the picture ' Lost pride Z' with full right claims to be called serious. This first and foremost adventure film not only tells about the events, but also touches on a number of philosophical and social problems: the clash of civilizations and the view of each other their representatives, the problem ' fathers and children' friendship and betrayal, the role of women and others.
The story may seem ' torn', there is no generally accepted sequence ' introduction-development of action-climax-end' but such deviation is caused by documentary basis.
But in the film there are charming shots of uncharted lands and confident acting. Charlie Hunnam perfectly coped with the main role, the character of which, it is worth noting, was not static, but changed throughout the film with the lived character over the years. Robert Pattinson, on the other hand, played the role of aide-de-camp perfectly and (who would have thought) proved to be a good actor.
I waited for this film and was so pleased with what I saw that today, more than six months after watching it, I personally recognize this picture as the most important release in Russia of a foreign film in 2017. Adventure lovers are encouraged to watch.
I went to #39; The Lost City of Z' - very much waited for this film, read reviews, watched the trailer, even Goblin recommended to go for adventures on real events. And you know, such a contradictory impression - the film is mostly boring, there are no adventures there even in a word, but there is a certain everydayness, emphasized by the English stiffness of the aristocracy of those years. The film is essentially about the purpose of all life, about the idea for which family and health are placed on the altar. A film about faith in his unattainable dream, which moves the main hero, whom he breathes and even in the circle of his family or in the enemy trench, feels himself in the jungles of the Amazon, in search of the mythical El Dorado.
There are not many annoying flashbacks in the film that are abused by many paintings. The nobility of the main hero and his opposition to the racist views of Europeans of that time is striking. But this is not the TV series ' Taboo' where the beastly grimness of capitalism and the rotten essence of the nobility are whirlwindly shown. Here, in general, the emphasis is on aching longing, on waiting for a letter, on newspaper clippings, into which the characters dig their eyes. Characters here are colorful and authentic - dirty clothes of travelers, emphasized thinness, wrinkles on scorched in the sun emaciated faces, through which occasionally a stingy male tear escapes.
If this film was directed by Iñárritu, I am sure there would be more arthouse, more mysticism and sura.
The picture itself recalls films of the Soviet era, it seems to have been filmed by the Shostkin Association ' Svema' - dried colors, dimmed light and the general atmosphere of lamps. As it turned out, the film was shot on film 35 mm, as well as all the paintings. James Gray.
The film is very sad and leaves behind a heavy aftertaste, you think about choosing the main character, he is right or not.
Alas, the film was stuffed with standard modern cliches, such as feminism, the struggle of women for their rights, the equality of men and women, then again the clumsy attempts of the white race to rehabilitate themselves for colonial politics and racism and again this tolerance, which is put in the mouths of the heroes. This is both in 'Survivor' timid attempts to hint at the genocide of the Indians, and here.
Also, the motivation of the characters is very weak, almost all the characters are not disclosed and are used in the film as furniture.
But that exciting feeling of the discoverer of an unknown world and all that excitement cannot be conveyed in words and the film is worth watching and thinking about such strong-willed personalities as Colonel Fawcett.
P.S. I came from the theater like so happy, then sat down, read reviews (mostly laudable by the way), thought and realized that the film was a little more than half dull and frankly failed.
A very good review of the film by Alexander Trofimov, shedding light on the significance of the discovery of the city of Z and the fate of Fawcett.
If you want to immerse yourself in the real atmosphere of the sinister jungle, then pictures such as:
'Soul' (2008), a picture full of mysticism and sticky horror.
'600 kg of gold' (2010) - delusional, but interesting and action-packed crime drama, which also takes place in the jungle.
And if you want a real movie about friendship, adventure and mortal danger on the path of the discoverers, then watch 'Moon Mountains' (1989).
5 out of 10
An archaic film, a somewhat modernized homage to David Lin. It is clear without musical operas and quite pathetic speeches, but, in fact, the picture is old-fashioned. Referring to the events of a century ago implies some actualization of the material. In this picture, modernization is difficult: the central character is not a maniac with an obsession of the level of Klaus Kinsky, and not the character with whom you can somehow identify.
An extinct type of street racer during the existence of the British colony, the burden of the white man and so on. More or less knowing from Wikipedia the story of the missing major, it is difficult to take the picture as an illustration to Wikipedia. There are no memorable scenes in sight, the material is organized so that the actors have nothing to do. The picture is made as if, for example, Herzog’s cinema was not even in sight.
All well put, good picture. The abundance of common places, shots about the First World War is in some way a standard of artistic conformity of the creators. I did not understand the purpose of putting the picture, failing not so big a budget.
6 out of 10
Sometimes what you wanted interesting, but it turned out boring and meaningless.
The movie certainly surprised me. A vivid example of the lack of integrity of the picture. But all in order.
In this case, it didn’t make much sense to read the synopsis, because Charlie Hannam in the role of traveling to the unknown military – this is curious. Moreover, the timing of two and a half hours, which means the director did not stint on the action scene and beautiful views of nature. No, it's not too bad!!
The genre of the picture is simple and has been tested for years: an adventure film, with elements of drama to humanize the characters and reveal them. Such a dramatic Indiana Jones.
If we consider individual pieces of the film, they are not bad, shot correctly and the right topics raise, but in general nothing fits.
During the two-and-a-half-hour timekeeping, we did not see large-scale pictures of nature or details of the ritual life of the Indians, we did not see battle scenes of war, etc. Much of the film is occupied with dialogue that doesn't shoot or engage us. Watching the acting is also not particularly interesting, after all, Siena Miller and Charlie Hannham, and especially Robert Pattinson, are not those actors who fully reveal themselves in dramas.
The main problem is the statement of topics and not bringing them to the end. The ending didn’t change anything about the characters, didn’t explain anything to us, didn’t give anything to justify the fact that we spent two and a half hours watching this movie. A waste of time on the movies, in which a lot of standard techniques, standard situations and boring travel.
The result was really disappointing. Different scenes of the film separately are similar to the famous scenes in other films, there is no originality completely, in general, it is not clear what exactly the creators of this picture wanted to convey.
This film befell the fate of another biographical drama - about the Norwegian archaeologist and researcher Thor Heyerdahl - "Kon-Tiki". And the fate is this: close to the source, but unimaginably boring. So if you’ve watched Kon-Tiki, you don’t have to spend 2 hours on The Lost City of Z. The same thing, only the historical background is different. Well, there are differences in detail. Otherwise, the initial conditions of the task coincide: a conflict with the national geographical society and with a wife left on the shore, children growing up without a father and the inevitable inner conflict of the hero, which is torn between the family and the thirst of the discoverer.
Oddly enough, but the life of the most amazing person mainly consists of very trivial everyday life. And the author of the script is faced with a choice: write truthfully, but boring, or interesting, but lie. One well-known Russian screenwriter, specializing in docudramas, at his master class advises exactly this: the viewer should be primarily interested. I wasn't interested.
The main problem of the film is that the writer and director themselves do not fully understand what they are shooting: docudrama or adventure. By the way, the listing of genres is very confusing when choosing a film to watch. I expected a stronger emphasis on the adventure component, but my audience expectations were disappointed. Adventures turned out to be template, toothless, inevitably recalling pictures from the classics of the genre - a trilogy about Indiana Jones and the Soviet "In Search of Captain Grant" (here, sorry, the image of Pattinson one-in-one Monsieur Paganel).
The drama as such did not work here either, for it has neither the depth of nerve nor energy, and all the suffering about the hero’s throwing between family and dream turns into a flat posyatin.
The film in general turned out to be extremely flat, stilted and not causing any desire to sympathize, empathize and generally somehow worry for the heroes. One important ingredient of good cinema is missing: humor. Just because we're in a drama doesn't mean there's no room for a smile. It is in dramas that elements of humor have a killer effect.
As a result, the story is presented extremely fresh and unintriguing and rolls on predictable tracks. It's kind of slippery. Changing the motivations of the characters of the second plan takes place far behind the scenes, and the viewer is presented with the changed characters, but the moment of their internal transformation for some reason does not fall into the lens of the camera. Feeling that the director or laziness was or himself uninteresting. Only by the end of the film, he wakes up from hibernation and demonstrates visual techniques that somehow animate the picture, but they are not able to pull the film out of the chatter of despondency and boredom.
At the same time, the film is shot on a scale: a beautiful picture, the atmosphere of the era, an extra of Indians, scenery, props. Let’s add a decent, if not outstanding acting work. The first minutes of the action promise a pleasant pastime, but do not be deceived. And don’t repeat my mistake: you can’t start watching this movie as an adventure movie.
I have been waiting for the new film directed by James Gray for a long time, since the main roles were announced by Benedict Cumberbatch and Robert Pattinson, whose work I follow closely. And if Cumberbatch left the project without waiting for the start of filming, then Robert Pattinson remained faithful to the project, primarily because of his great desire to work with director James Gray. As a result, the main role in the film received Charlie Hunnam. Despite the rather cool reviews from critics about Charlie’s acting work, I think he can rightly be proud of it.
The story tells about the life and adventures of the British topographer Percival Harrison Fawcett, who once found himself in the jungle in South America on behalf of the Royal Geographical Society, heard the stories of local Aborigines about the golden city, and since then he has repeatedly returned to the jungle, dreaming of finding this lost city, which he called Z.
Speaking about the merits of the film, I would highlight two key ones. The first advantage is the creation of the atmosphere of the 1900s in the film - costumes, life and even the color of the picture, you can immediately see the amazing work with the camera. The second value is acting. I really liked Charlie Hunnam in this role. It was a difficult task, because it is on him that the whole film is based. And he did it. I am not a fan of the creativity Sienna Miller, but here she is a miracle of how good. Robert Pattinson plays the role of a friend and colleague of Percival Fawcett in the search, a pretty good acting work turned out, it was nice to see him again on the screen in a new image, but no more.
In the film there are quite significant shortcomings . He looks too tight. Every time Percy Fawcett returns to the jungle, you expect more action, interesting adventures, and each time it was missing. I would compare watching a movie to an album of photos. When at the beginning of the viewing is still curious, and then it becomes boring and boring. Perhaps, only the last 30-40 minutes of the film, the director really succeeded in terms of the dynamism of the plot development and the emphasis on the necessary relationships.
In the film, I did not hear the dramaturgy of the relationship between the characters. I didn’t have enough interaction between the main characters of the film to understand their friendship, how it started, how they became friends. The director just confronts you with the fact that they are friends. In fact, this shows all the relationships between the various characters of the picture. The best scenes of the film were the scenes of the relationship between father and son, only thanks to them the film (and most importantly its ending) is filled with drama and finds a response. In the rest, the director completely deprived the viewer of all the charms of wandering in the jungle and gave the viewer a ready-made result - here before us the sick and starving main characters are slowly swimming along the river, and how they reached this state and why, remains behind the scenes. This is primarily a failure of the director and screenwriter.
The story of the discoverer, husband, father and civil servant
The film begins with the fact that we are shown no longer a young military man in whose career there were no bright merits. To keep his name respected, he needs to do something significant. When he has the opportunity to go to the Amazon with a mission, he doesn’t miss it. The main task was to compile a map of previously unknown territories, but in the process of traveling Percy finds traces of ancient civilization. The idea of finding the remains of the city of this civilization completely captures the hero.
However, Percy has another life - he is a husband and father of the family. Percy is not easy to combine his dream and life in society, in the family. He does his duty to his family and his country.
The movie is interesting, there are adventures, difficulties, betrayal. We see how difficult conditions reveal a person. A film about choice, about choice. There's a dream, but there's a family. There's money issues. History is based on real events, and therefore close to reality.
The ending is not clear, but I liked it!
7 out of 10
Embodied on the screen the story of Colonel of the British armed forces Percy Fawcett, who devoted his whole life to the exploration of the most inaccessible corners of the South American jungle.
The first Fawcett expedition was initiated by the British Geographical Society in 1906. It was planned that the colonel would clarify and map the border line between Bolivia and Brazil. As a result, Percy Fawcett coped with the task, but also found something in the jungle that made him come back there, pulled back again and again. He disappeared in the woods in 1925, without a trace, while searching for the lost, ancient, semi-mythical El Dorado in the existence of which the colonel was sure until the very end.
He was less fortunate than another dreamer - Henry Schliemann, who excavated Troy, and even less than the American Hiram Bingham, who opened Machu Picchu to the world.
The life Percy Fosset lived would have been enough for three ordinary human lives. He became the embodiment of a true traveler, adventurer, dreamer and romantic, stopping at nothing to realize his dreams.
Naturally, to embody such an extraordinary biography on the screen is not easy. And with this, the creators of the picture somehow did not get along immediately.
The main drawback of the picture is its script. Attempting to embrace the immense made the story superficial, hasty, devoid of atmosphere. Disfocused.
Wouldn’t it have been better not to gallop through 20 events, adventures and travel years, but to concentrate on the final and most tragic journey? Perhaps this would make the story whole, deep, catching at times stronger?
Even more tearing is the fabric of perception, the unexpected attempts to give the film social significance and relevance in favor of the conjuncture – in between travels, Fawcett, in the film, fights against racism, and his wife fights for women’s rights. And these are all, of course, important questions, but the movie is completely different, and such episodes here look out of place, foreign, crooked screenwriters, what would be. To reach the largest possible audience and please everyone at once. And that no one should leave hurt.
The motivation of the characters is sometimes mysterious (for example, Fawcett’s son first reproaches his father for leaving his family for so long, and after a while he persuades him to go back to the jungle).
In general, the characters are clichéd and despite the fact that the prototypes of them are real people, the characters are only slightly outlined and almost not worked out. Except for the main character.
Charlie Hunnam, by the magical action of his own charisma, turns a stencilled cardboard pattern into a living person, so that Colonel Fosset in his performance, looks still bulkier and more alive than the others, and even causes some empathy.
Then there's Robert Pattinson with a hipster beard. It seemed to me that his character accidentally wandered into this film from some Western.
The picture was also disappointing. From a film about wildlife, about the jungle, about travel, you expect still beautiful views, sunsets and sunrises over the jungle and other “taste”, not a computer panther and a couple of successful shots with the setting sun. It is not for me to criticize the work of the cameraman Darius Hoxha, behind whom “Seven”, “Alien 4”, “The Beach” and, among other things, several films about Madonna, but disappointed the picture, what is there.
141 minutes of storytelling is not easy to understand if there is no appropriate attitude. These are not Indiana Jones and Alan Quartermain movies. The creators made a serious movie, a biography colored with drama. But without colorful visualizations, without forcing this very drama, overloaded with unnecessary digressions and, in some places, too pathetic dialogues, the plot moves forward in jerks, as if jumping from bump to bump. Here, I think it is appropriate to recall Mel Gibson's film "Apocalypse" in 2006, where historical events, without sacrificing authenticity, are presented vividly, dynamically, powerfully and emotionally.
The life of Colonel Percival Fawcett certainly deserves a different film adaptation. More thoughtful, more dramatic, bright, atmospheric, deeper, more authentic and more literary.
More romantic.
After all, it is not for nothing that Sir Arthur Conan-Doyle, who was friends with Fosset and inspired by his travel stories, wrote “The Lost World”, where Professor Challenger is the same Fosset and is, it is not for nothing that Sir Henry Ryder Haggard, the author of “Daughters of Montezuma”, “The Spears of King Solomon” and many other books about the adventures of Quartermain, led a friendship with the colonel.
The Lost City of Z is a film that has never been decided. Drama, action film, philosophical and mystical parable. He wants to be all at once, but he can’t. A little lacking in each of the genres. And for that reason, the film seems bland.
Maybe that is why the picture did not pay off at the box office (with a budget of $ 30 million, fees did not reach ten) and collected mixed reviews from critics.
Is there something in the movie that is worth watching?
Undoubtedly, there is: first of all, the fact that this is not a remake, not a remake and not a comic book. The script is based on the book of the same name by David Grann, based in turn on the true biography of Percival Fawcett. This is an independent tape, a tape that is interesting in that it knocks out of a number of glossy popcorn blockbusters, giving undoubted food for thought and for the spread of fantasy.
The costumes and the music are all very good. Several strong episodes demonstrating the essence of human nature, heroism and cowardice, nobility and betrayal - it makes sense to look at it.
The film is worth watching, because, despite any shortcomings, it draws before the viewer the image of a courageous, passionate person who chose his path and follows it to the end.
Whether the advantages outweigh the disadvantages, I don’t know. It's not a bad movie. It just had to be better.
This incredible life, even in such a superficial way, is worth wanting to know more about.
The film could be the first step in that direction.
A British officer in the early 20th century is eager to receive medals. Everyone has, but he doesn't. And so in search of fame and position, he goes to the jungles of the Amazon to make a map of the terrain where no man has set foot.
Excitement
According to the poster, it seemed that this was a passing film based on Indiana Jones. With ancient temples, traps and Indians. But all we see in the course of the action is the story of one man, a dreamer, who spent a lifetime searching for answers. At first, the plot develops cheerfully and you have hope that King Arthur and Edward of Twilight & #39 will make their way through the jungle, simultaneously tearing the throats of the anacondam, removing the scalps of the Indians and waving a machete. But no. This is more of a biographical story, which sometimes becomes protracted and boring. Once local cannibals shot with bows, and that’s all.
Quality
If you approach viewing without waiting for adventure action, then this is quite a good movie. Well put, consistent plot, philosophical questions even raises. It is striking how people in search of the unknown can go through the years, step over, over themselves, for the sake of their fate & #39; Well, that's it.
Actors
The lineup is great. Charlie Hannam is a rising English star. Charismatic, but not total brutal like Hardy. Pattinson with a beard. And some other people. Basically, everything looks organic. Playing well.
It's not a children's movie. It's not Indiana Jones. It's a traveler's story. This is a story about the first half of the 20th century. Mores and mores. I think it's less jungle than London. So, well, if you have already reviewed everything, you can kill time. The movie is not bad if you like biographies.
James Gray’s latest work follows Percy Fawcett, a member of the Royal Geographical Society known for his expeditions to South America in search of the remaining evidence of an ancient civilization.
Major Fawcett receives an invitation from the Royal Geographical Society to go to the jungles of Bolivia to help with topography and drawing borders, in order to avoid military conflict between the two countries. A perfectly adequate political reason and Fawcett’s desire to receive recognition and awards that can help his family reach the pantheon of greatness of bourgeois cream of British society direct Percy on a multi-year expedition. But it soon becomes obvious that this goal is not so important. Discovering fragments of ancient dishes, the hero understands that he is on the verge of a great discovery that can turn the history of the modern world.
The lost city becomes his dream, his obsession. And in endless expeditions, Fawcett even the birth of his own children manages to miss time after time.
All for the mythical city. He calls him. And having passed so many trials and survived the war, he again goes in search of a dream in which he is destined to disappear without a trace.
The picture was in limited release and there are reasons. This is not an adventurous adventure action - accordingly, the box office will not do. Alas, the mathematical reality of Russia, including this, proceeding from the fact that the vast majority of viewers visit pop-cornbusters and other attractions of entertainment cinema. No, it's not Indiana Jones or the Amazon treasure hunt. It’s a bit more complicated here – you’ll have to think a little bit.
In fact, Gray’s work can be attributed to biopic. On the one hand, it is a plus, but it is also a minus. Biographical films about the lives of interesting people are still popular - although this picture is not about some great developer of software and gadgets. And since this is a story about a real person, you should not expect crazy dynamics and endless adventures. This is a film about becoming, finding yourself, and a great discovery. Because the dynamics are so measured that some may seem that it does not exist. Step by step, the viewer will watch the change of the most important chapters of the hero’s life.
Gray shot on 35mm film, and with this in mind shooting in the jungle is really fascinating. Operating is great, as is acting. Sienna Miller, Charlie Hannam, Tom Holland and, especially, Robert Patisson, forever rid of the role ' that cute vampire ', perfectly play their roles.
+: The film is colorful, the script is good, the acting is good.
-: Timekeeping, coupled with unhurried dynamics, is not for everyone to master. And thanks to this, and perhaps a somewhat superficial description of the life of Fawcett, this picture risks getting lost in the background of high-profile premieres like the main character in the Amazon jungle.
7 out of 10
The thirst for life is nothing if oxygen overrides the obsession with it.
He who is brave is alive. He who is brave is the whole.
Ah. Suvorov
The instinct of self-preservation helps a person to live, and fears are not enemies, but friends of a person. They help you stop in time. But there are people who act contrary to human nature, because they go where you can not go and do what the absolute majority rushes away.
Although they say that fear eyes are big and in theory this is what should help you stop and think about what you are going to do, but there are people whose fearlessness is boundless. The more frightening, the more interesting they are to overcome obstacles.
And if some basic instincts, a sense of duty, responsibility and love hold back, others do not care at all. Especially if some idea of a fix, the goal of all life, appears on the horizon, then the rest of the world ceases to exist, and the whole life obeys this goal, absorbing without a trace and leading to obsession, growing into an insatiable passion for adventure, adrenaline rushes, overshadowing saving instincts, blinding, killing a normal person alive.
8 out of 10
"The Lost City of Z" has neither the cultural value "Snake Embrace", for example, nor the dynamics of some "Treasures of the Amazon", and it does not look much like a biography. But by some unknown force, the reviews for the film were almost positive.
A former soldier with the support of geographers of the Kingdom of Britain goes with his companions to South America in order to mark the borders between Bolivia and Brazil, which are about to start a war between themselves. Wandering far along the river, the hero finds traces of an ancient settlement, with allegedly developed infrastructure in the form of roads, bridges and a pile of pottery.
In fact, the authors of the film failed to recreate this “ancient” city, yes, even if traces of this very city were found only many decades later, but the leads that motivated the protagonist several times to take risks and go there were not really provided. Hence, the whole furor is not clear - the main character tells about something he saw there, until the viewer does not show it practically. What is the recipe for success?
The film is unbearably boring, with weak editing, which shows the story in some ragged and unrelated pieces, as well as the dialogue in the film as if written for high school students who can not remember the technical lexicon. In a word, it is not clear why this film so captivated film critics, if someone is interested in such a topic - there are many more interestingly shot works.
Every year a huge number of people disappear in the world. Many of them will never return home. When an ordinary person from the people disappears, it is considered normal. But when a famous person disappears, and even under mysterious circumstances, this event inevitably causes a public outcry. Many people try to solve the mystery of their disappearance, write books and scientific articles, make search expeditions and conduct investigations. Cinema cannot stand aside and presents its own versions. And the story behind this film is one of the most mysterious and ideal for film adaptation.
The picture is based on real events telling about the British topographer and traveler Percy Fawcett. For many years he searched for the lost city of an ancient civilization in the Amazon. His main goal was designated as “Z”. And over time, it became an obsession and a cherished dream for him. In 1925, he embarked on the main expedition of his life. In general, his journey is shrouded in mysteries and mysteries.
Director James Gray is widely known in festival circles. This is important to understand, since this is not a blockbuster action movie. This is an adventure historical drama that methodically shows us the path of man to the unknown. The author tried to keep historical facts, and therefore fiction in the film a little, but of course he is present. The tape is imbued with the spirit of romantic adventure, but devoid of the usual dynamics. Despite a long time of 140 minutes, it captures and captivates the viewer. But remember this author’s film, and therefore instead of action you will find a detailed narrative of each important stage in the life of the legendary seeker.
The brilliant work of the operator Darius Honji. This is a vivid example of real visual art. The film is incredibly beautiful, which was facilitated by field shooting. The majestic landscapes of the tropical jungle fascinate the viewer. And it is important to note the work of makeup artists, decorators and costume artists. Everything is done in the spirit of the time. Where every detail is worked out to the smallest detail.
Charlie Hunnam showed with this picture that he is a strong dramatic actor. Magnificent disclosure of the image, very piercingly conveyed the feelings and experiences of his hero. What he experiences and what sacrifices he is forced to make, on the way to his cherished dream. He is really very talented and equally good as Guy Ritchie in the action fantasy “King Arthur’s Sword”, and in an extraordinary historical drama. And this is an indicator of high skill. In an unexpected image, Robert Pattinson is presented as the bearded adjutant of the main character. And it looks very organic. The role of the beautiful wife was performed by the charming Sienna Miller, and the way she appears in old age is just a look.
The Lost City of Z is an author’s, very fascinating and insanely beautiful adventure drama. Based on the true story of a man obsessed with finding a mysterious city. Excellent acting, brilliant visual part and documentary accuracy make the picture extremely interesting and informative. I wanted to know more about Percy Fawcett and his adventures. This is an important indicator of success.
If you search for some treasures, you can lose others forever.
From the director of Jewish emigrants from Russia, who gave us such films as “The Nightkeepers” & #39;, “Little Odessa” & #39; and “Lovers” & #39; this time dedicated his new work to great adventures in the Amazon jungle.
Honestly, I expected to see a simple adventure film, but I ended up immersed in a very deep drama about a great traveler. The film itself is no longer about finding yourself in the jungle. An autobiographical drama about the life and aspirations of a simple traveler who, thanks to his unprecedented bravery, turned from a small man into a person with a world name. He devoted his entire life to the search for the lost city of the ancient people. Impenetrable jungles, deadly diseases, natural dangers and local aborigines could not stop the purposeful master of history. Of course, the dazzling fame and eternal search reflected on the personal life of the protagonist, as nothing ever passes without a trace. Everything has its price! So in this case, the hero paid for the happy years of his life with his family. Disappearing for years in the jungle, his children grew up without him, and not knowing the true love of his father.
Don’t expect it to be an easy movie with an easy story. This is a complex and difficult life dramaturgy, sometimes protracted, but still insanely interesting. Of course, many people will not like the film too much, as the box office showed, but still some viewers will like this story. Personally, I liked the movie. The beginning did not foreshadow anything special, but by the middle of the film my interest increased tenfold, and in the final, so in general, emotions splashed out over the edge.
Not to mention the talented actor ensemble of the project. All the characters in the frame looked very natural and natural. Famous actor Robert Patisson and the star of the series ' Sons of Anarchy' Charlie Hunnam created on the screen a beautiful tandem of real friends and friends who trusted each other with the most intimate that everyone has, their lives.
Of course, the film is made a little in dark colors, trying to convey the integrity of the necessary feelings from the grayness of the existence of that time and those views on the global life of the whole planet. Delusions of some people about their exceptionalism and their greatness before the indigenous peoples, before the natural elements have repeatedly punished and will punish all vain and complacent fools, since nothing gives anyone the right to consider themselves better than others. All are equal before each other and all are equal before mother nature, and one should not forget this.
At first, when I started watching the movie and over time I was a little disappointed in it, because I expected something brighter and more exciting. As no movie tells the story of a journey into the wilds of the Amazon, which in itself pushes thoughts about lost civilizations, treasure hunts, chases and shootouts and all that. In the style of Jack London, let’s say.
And then, skipping for a minute in the well-known Internet encyclopedia, I learned that the film is based on real events and in principle it reflects all the situation that took place at the dawn of the twentieth century, when Percy Fosset went to map the Amazon and look for the lost city, the existence of which he and his associates sincerely believed.
The story seems strange at first, because when you start watching an adventure film about the discoverers of something, you think that most of the picture will be devoted to this. Here, director James Gray talks about three attempts by Percy Fosset to find the city of Z, or, more simply, El Dorado. They all came with different degrees of success, with different losses and hardships, with different results, which were voiced in the Royal Geographical Society.
Expeditions to the Amazon jungle alternated with visits home, watching his children grow up only for a short period of time. At the same time, as an officer, he managed to take part in the First World War, return from there, and then again go in search of the lost city.
The film, which Gray shot on 35-millimeter film looks very realistic, which plays an important role in demonstrating wildlife. I understand that the filming took place on nature (judging by the facts about the film), which makes realism reach its maximum importance.
It also reflects the mood of the society at the time. How to know and seemingly educated people are ready to give up principles, how they elevate themselves above representatives of other races, considering themselves almost superhuman, how they without the slightest shadow of conceit trample into the dirt the sincere impulses of their opponents, how they relate to the presence of women in the discussion, as it seems to them, exclusively male issues.
Paying attention to women, it is worth noting the beautiful Siena Miller, who played the wife of the hero Hannam. Her heroine is a strong-willed and strong woman, ready in fact to become the wife of the Decembrist and endure all hardships and hardships for the sake of love and devotion to her husband. Miller very successfully fit into the image of Nina Fosset and was able to convey through the screen all those emotions and feelings that had to go through her character.
The film “The Lost City of Z” turned out to be quite fascinating, and importantly, it can make the viewer want to learn the story of Percy Fawcett in more detail. Agree, when after viewing the picture you want to learn about its characters, embodied the images of once or now existing people, or about any events, we can absolutely say that the director made a film that causes the viewer genuine interest.
But look at you. I do not impose my opinion on anyone.
Adventures in movies, infrequent guests. Adventure, usually coupled with such components as an action movie and a thriller, is a side genre. Expedition films, which action and drama are satellites, not guides, are few. Of the last that comes to mind, the semi-mythical “In the heart of the sea”, “Gold”, and the extreme “Lost city Z”, which is what we are talking about.
It is worth noting that the films listed above, although they have good ratings, do not have high box office fees. Although the first is a big-budget film, and a very beautiful visual series, and the second is a film based on real events, starring Matthew McConaughey. Films about researchers are definitely not in demand, apparently the romance of the discoverers has already exhausted.
The movie “The Lost City of Z” is getting better. There are no big stars, and Brad Pitt is only in the producers. A blockbuster doesn’t have to be based on real events, nor does a real-life movie have to be a blockbuster. Realism does not tolerate serious artistic assumptions, and therefore, the film is not full of colors, and does not melt. Few and not decisive in the context of the narrative action, not hiding behind the camera, but set without dynamics and without spark. The film is not suitable for those who do not see beyond the picture, but definitely like those who can read the text behind it.
Technically, it is executed well, although all the technicality lies in one, but very important part. The film well conveys the atmosphere of the era, having high-quality scenery and costumes. The actors are also working at a good level. Patisson's playing here. No, not “Patisson is here,” but “Patisson is here.” It is his image and play that is most present in this film. That for an ex-demon with an immobilized face is a great job. It is the role of Henry Costin, will be the strongest nail in the coffin of Edward Cullen.
Against the background of superheroes and superhero racers saving millions of people, while causing billions of dollars in damage to the economy, “topographers dying in the jungle” sounds not particularly trendy. This film is about a time when heroism had a different face.
Deciding to find something interesting for an evening viewing, I settled on the film "The Lost City of Z", and, in the end - the evening is spoiled. I didn’t even expect it to look so fresh.
Why is it bland, you ask? The film’s description, trailer and movie are three different things. The description of the film is very intriguing, and after all, who among us would not like to know more about the unexplored corners of our planet? The second trailer. Perhaps the best and most exciting thing to find here, in principle, contained in the trailer: here you and action, and adventure, and brilliant game, and oh so much drama.
In fact, it's just an empty place. As you have already realized from the title, most of the film is occupied by set. Although... how to say big?!!You expect 2:20 hour of half-sleeping oblivion, of which two full hours of the film is allotted to rock the story, and the remaining 20 minutes is for you and the main part, and the denouement and the triumphant finale, and, apparently, all that the director wanted to display here James Gray. (now I will carefully avoid his work)
There's really no action, no idea, yes, in general, nothing here. Except that acting partly saves the situation. Strange as it may be, but best of all in the film coped with a secondary character — Henry, which performed Robert Pattinson. Since the creators of this masterpiece present this something as a film based on real events, everything should correspond to the image of the 1900-1920s. Robert was extremely organic, unlike Charlie Hunnam (Percy), who played well, but still films with a historical reference - not his. It looks too modern, and I’ve been trying to connect reality and its appearance in the film at least in some way: two parallel universes. I noticed this from King Arthur’s Sword, but things were different there, because there are no claims to the latter.
On the account of Sienna Miller... I’ve never been particularly interested in this actress, and I don’t really see anything remarkable about her. But she has an extremely comfortable appearance for various kinds of reincarnations. It is like a blank slate where you can create anything your soul wants.
It feels so strange after watching, you know. I’m often very offended when movies are presented in such a light that everything you see in the trailer and get excited about the idea of viewing, crumbles like a sand house on the beach. Because he could not fully recreate "classical cinema" James Gray, and as a result, an inexplicably meaningless illusion of what was originally stated came out.
4 out of 10
The decision to watch this film was largely influenced by the historical drama 'Eldorado' Carlos Saura, seen many years ago. The plot of the films is similar: in the jungles of the Amazon, the characters are looking for a fabulously rich land of gold, in one case, and a lost city of an unknown civilization, in the second. But if the first film turned out to be vivid, memorable, with great acting, although all these Spanish actors were completely unfamiliar to me, then the second film, The Lost City of Z, left me puzzled.
Disappointed inexpressive directing, unable to convey a small part of the magnificent power and beauty of wildlife; the character of Percy Fosset, played by Charlie Hunnam, turned out to be flat, expressionless, was in the frame to appear any other actor - he immediately outplayed the main character. Being the main character means not only to appear in the frame more often than others, but also to make the audience empathize, invite everyone to put themselves in his place and decide what he would do if he were in the place of the hero. In my opinion, Charlie Hanam did not cope with this task - his playing is only a pale shadow of an outstanding personality with a strong and firm character, as Percy Fosset was.
A serious omission should be considered the refusal to include in the storyline ' Manuscripts 512' - a report on the campaign of a detachment of Portuguese adventurers in the middle of the XVIII century into the depths of the Brazilian jungle and the discovery there of an abandoned city of an unknown but developed civilization with writing. Familiarity with this document instilled in Fawcett strong confidence in the existence of the city of Z and the civilization that built it. It was the belief in the truth of the facts described in this document that gave Fawcett the energy to organize one expedition after another, and not the desire to prove that the aborigines of the Amazon are no less developed than other peoples who created their civilizations, as they try to imagine in the film.
I doubt I’ll ever want to see a movie in the foreseeable future if Charlie Hunnam is in the lead role.