THE FAST RUNNER (Atanarjuat) - Thoughts and/or Reviews

[Fergus]

This past Friday, a film opened near me that I never expected to even come here. Its won an array of awards, and the praise of it is just endless, and I can't begin to describe how high my anticipation is for this nearly 3 hr film. I've tried to stay away from any plot summaries, so I really have no idea what the film is about, other than it is based on an old Inuit legend, and I just want to see this baby, badly. Roger Ebert reviewed it two weekends ago, and his review was great, so.......


I was wondering if anyone had seen it yet, if the film is as good as the buzz says it is, and any other misc. thoughts regarding THE FAST RUNNER.

[Nate6]

I want to see this movie badly. It is the first totally Inuit film, swept the Genies (Canadian Oscars), has made almost $2 million in Canada (good for a homegrown film) and, of course, is not playing anywhere near me. Frustrating...

[idealdiscountdude]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Nate6:
I want to see this movie badly. It is the first totally Inuit film, swept the Genies (Canadian Oscars), has made almost $2 million in Canada (good for a homegrown film) and, of course, is not playing anywhere near me. Frustrating...</font>

It played at the Oxford Theatre here in Halifax about 3 months ago. I really wanted to see it as well, but I missed it.

[Nate6]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by idealdiscountdude:
It played at the Oxford Theatre here in Halifax about 3 months ago. I really wanted to see it as well, but I missed it.</font>

It did? Oh well, I wouldn't have been able to see it anyway.

[Fergus]

http://www.atanarjuat.com/gallery/movie_gallery/300atan_sun.jpg

http://www.atanarjuat.com/gallery/movie_gallery/atuat_reunion.jpg


Yesterday, on the last day it was showing in the state, at the last possible showtime, I FINALLY saw this utterly INCREDIBLE landmark film; that I've been just DYING to see. At first, I just didn't know how to react to this film. I have never seen anything like it, and I'm sure everybody who has seen it, never saw anything remotely like this film beforehand.

First and foremost about this movie is the amazing cinematography. Two examples are above, and there's more where that came from, but I couldn't find the stills I liked, so that will have to do. Anyway, striking images galore, even though there are many times where it feels like a documentary, this ain't no Hollywood flick. It has its own feel that comes through with the cinematography.

This is a morality tale, sort of a fable, a myth, a legend, whatever you want to call it, but the documentary feel sometimes undermines it, but maybe that was intended by the director, because many times, I felt that he really knew much about shot composition, and directing in general. I suppose he felt that the technique suited the film better, but I suppose I will never know.

I have a few peeves with the film itself, and they're mostly minor little quibs about it, but I felt that it went on for a little too long, even though the culture was very interesting. Maybe a second viewing will change my mind, which I am planning on doing in the future sometime. Also, the main villain character was played over-the-top. I did like many of the little details in the film, such as the costumes, which weren't very flashy, and didn't have the look on them as if a million dollars had been spent. Very simplistic, like the culture. Also, there were several scenes of eating raw food they got, but they didn't show them actually hunting and killing Carabou and fish. And I'm glad they didn't go the cliched route, with a montage, that I really liked. I also enjoyed the way they developed the plot. While I sat there, I was trying to analyze the directing techniques when I should've been paying attention to the story. I got the jist of it, but the person I saw it with pointed out a vital plot point that went right over my head. You have to pay attention in this movie, even when it feels like its getting a bit long.

I really dug the main character Atanarjuat, the well played hero of the story, and that's what counts with the movie, if the he doesn't click with you, then you won't get into the movie. I also dug the message they managed to slip in there, even though, you really didn't see that they were building to it from the beginning. There is a lesson to be learned here, and they present it in a way I didn't expect. I thought it would end up where the hero revenges the wrongs done to him, but not so. It ends the way most problems should be ended. Too bad I can't give it away.

Most everything that happened in the film was a surprise to me. I think everyone who walked out of the theater was as impressed as my good friend and I were. We had about a five minute discussion with a fellow audience member whom we had never talked to or seen, she just started a conversation about the film and we went from there. That has never happened to me before. Well, I've also never been to that "Art House" theater before, so I guess that could be the reason. Art house audiences are different.....anyway... I wouldn't hesitate to say that it is the best film this year, even though, Good Girl just topped my list last weekend. Well, Fast Runner has topped my list for now, don't know how long it will last, but consider it in at least the top five for one of the very best films of the year.

(9/10)

[This message has been edited by Fergus (edited 09-06-2002).]

[This message has been edited by Fergus (edited 09-06-2002).]

[Nate6]

I'm so glad to hear you liked it, Fergus, just another reason for me to check it out on video.

[Benny]

Do check it out Nate, it's quite the experience. I saw it last Friday, and thought it was good but was a little disappointed. For one thing, some of the scenes went on too long (I know the guy running naked for 30 minutes was supposed to be a beautiful, captivating scene, but I didn't see it that way), and the characters were very tough to distinguish from one another and had very confusing names. I know these comments make me look like the stereotypical, white, "ugly" American, but maybe this film was just a little too "artsy-fartsy" for me. It was also hard for me to keep track of what was going on in the plot most of the time, even with subtitles.

However, the scenery is absoultely stunning in the movie, and the throat-singing was awesome. The acting was also good for everyone involved. It's neat to see a film completely in the Inuit language as well, not something Hollywood puts out every day! Overall, I liked it enough to give it a 7/10, but in the end I was a bit disappointed. Maybe someone who has more moviegoing experience would give it a 9 or 10, because it's very well-made, but it just didn't fully click with me.

[Nate6]

A new film society in my town (which I can't join because I'm "too young") is showing this film at a public screening at the local multiplex next week, I'm going to try my best to get to it, but I'm not sure if I'll be able to because I may be too busy that night :(

[SenorSpielbergo]

I really wanted to see this movie in theaters, but I couldn't since it's not rated, and you've got to be 18 to get into a not rated movie. I guess I'll have to wait for it's video release, whenever that may be. Anyways I think I'll love it since I love deep foreign films.

[chikusho]

i wanted to see this so much! Unfortunately, my theater doesn't play these landmark films. And furthermore, there aren't any theaters in vicinity that do play indies.

I saw an ad for it in the newspaper, and i thought it was so interesting that it was in inuit. I'm gonna see it one day. The trailer made it look great too.