Movies
Giallo (Yellow) (V)
“Even though Mother of Tears was terribly disappointing, at least it had the bat-shit insanity of his earlier works and reminded you of better films that he’s done. Giallo is so by-the-numbers, it’s depressing.”
It’s been more than 20 years since Argento made Opera, his last worthwhile film and as hard as he’s been trying to recapture the magic of his earlier works, it’s proven to be a fruitless effort thus far. Working in the same genre(s) since the early 70s, it’s become obvious in recent years that while he might love horror, he’s become burnt out with little to no new ideas in his output. Giallo further supports my sentiments, as it proves that he’s lost basic directorial sensibilities, like getting good performances out of actors (something he was never really good at, mind you, but you figure after directing for 40 years, he’d get the hang of it somewhat), how to match a piece of music to a scene, or keeping the audience engaged in the story. And even keeping that in mind, it’s not that the flick is downright awful as much as it’s just… well, boring.
An unnamed killer has been keeping the city of Turin in a state of panic by kidnapping foreign beauties, disfiguring them, and leaving them for dead. After Celine, an American model doesn’t come home one night, her sister Linda (Emmanuelle Seigner) contacts the local police department. She’s handed off to Inspector Enzo Avolfi (Adrien Brody); a New York Italian who is heading what seems to be a one-man task force to find the elusive killer.
The middle act of the film basically revolves around Enzo shoving a file folder full of autopsy photos into people’s faces and yelling “HELP ME!” until he gets a lead. The killer, who is later given the name of Yellow, is found to have jaundice, a condition that turns his skin yellow – or giallo, which is yellow in Italian and also the genre the film is trying to imitate. A double entendre was apparently necessary, because Jim Agnew and Sean Keller’s lackluster script is grasping at straws to seem clever. As for the climax of the film, it’s probably the most unimaginative note Argento possibly could’ve left the film on. Long gone are the days of grotesque beauty playing out seconds before the credits role.
Moments that attempt to propel the film forward make little to no sense. If you were trapped in a dungeon-like lair, why would you taunt your captor by calling him ugly when he’s got the means of your death wagging in your face? It’s to get the killer’s back story told through flash backs, of course. Why does the idea of jaundice magically spring into the mind of Enzo’s accomplice at the right moment? Simple: it’s so they can pump his contact for information on the ONLY hospital in the area that treats those symptoms. And, of course, at the exact moment they show up, Yellow is fleeing the scene, giving way to an unsuccessful chase. And, because Enzo is so skilled in file folder debating, he’s given the patient’s name and address instantaneously.
After Vincent Gallo and Asia Argento dropped out of the project, Oscar winner Brody came on as the lead and executive producer, most likely in an attempt to give the production some clout. And truth be told, he is the standout in the film, even if that isn’t saying much for the rest of the cast. But when you’re relegated to throwing around photos, using your own accent, and smoking in an effort to seem like an embittered cop, it’s only the hard-boiled tough-guy dialogue that would hold anyone back. Interestingly enough, Brody also plays the part of Yellow under the pseudonym Byron Deidra, an anagrammatical play on his name. The casting is a bit gimmicky to be sure, and with the terrible rubber prosthetics and ridiculous wig, the performance is overly campy, even by Argento standards.
But perhaps the most perplexing aspect of the movie is that in its 92 minute runtime, only two people die. For an Argento film, that seems more than a little off. But then how do they demonstrate the insidious reign of terror Yellow is holding over the town? You remember that file folder I keep referring to? It’s not stories or death scenes (there are but two torturesque scenes in the entire flick) that are suppose to convince us of Yellow’s past, it’s production stills. How lazy can you get?
With the most inspired bit in the entire film being the cinematography during a flash back sequence, it’s no wonder Argento seems to be distancing himself from the project post-release. Even though Mother of Tears was terribly disappointing, at least it had the bat-shit insanity of his earlier works and reminded you of better films that he’s done. Giallo is so by-the-numbers, it’s depressing.
In this day and age, the word “troll” is often used to describe various online nuisances. Yet as abundant and irksome as the modern troll can be, they aren’t usually as fearsome as their mythological counterparts. I’m not talking about the small and gentler versions that have become more common to see in media. No, there are much bigger and scarier trolls out there—and André Øvredal’s movie Troll Hunter is one of the best places to find them.
It doesn’t take long for Troll Hunter (or Trolljegeren) to dump the Blair Witch Project-esque setup and aim for something a lot fresher. The trajectory of the story is augmented by Otto Jespersen’s character Hans, the titular Troll Hunter. The second he comes barreling out of the deep, dark woods and shouts “troll” at the camera, this movie takes a turn into what feels like uncharted territory. Not only subject-wise, but also conceptually.
For fantastical and made-up subject matter in cinema, found footage is a fast way to add a guise of believability. After all, what we accept to be the most crucial aspect of documentaries—the truth—rubs off on pseudo-documentaries, despite our understanding of the pretense involved. That is what Øvredal delivered with Troll Hunter: a movie so convincing that some viewers wondered if trolls really do exist. So, had this been straightforwardly made, it likely wouldn’t have been as effective. Conventional narratives would be more inclined to treat something like trolls as flat out unreal, and never try to convince the audience to think otherwise.
Hans petrifies the three-headed Tusseladd troll.
The viewers, like the characters trailing Hans, are quickly thrown into the deeper end of that extraordinary story. They have to process all this new information while staying on the go. So, although there is no significant amount of meandering, narratively or physically, there is still a good amount of atmosphere, not to mention tension building. It’s never anything frightful, but then again, Troll Hunter isn’t your standard offering of horror; it’s more on the low end of the dark fantasy spectrum. We aren’t ever spirited away to a faraway world—we stay in rather familiar surroundings, as well as dip into those less so. The outcome is a movie where you’re constantly more in awe than in terror.
As fantasy fiction might do, Troll Hunter prefers not to deal with incredulity. There is no time to waste on doubt, as interviewer Thomas (Glenn Erland Tosterud), soundperson Johanna (Johanna Mørck), and cameraman Kalle (Tomas Alf Larsen) all follow Hans around, recording whatever this character is willing to reveal about his bizarre job. Of course, the Troll Hunter himself is not an open book; in that respect, the diegetic documentary fails to fully capture and unpack the more interesting of its two subjects. Yes, all those giant, monstrous trolls are indeed incredible, but understandably, your mind wanders to their pursuer. What kind of person signs up for this gig and then chooses to stick with it for so long?
Reviews have called out Troll Hunter for its lack of character development. In regard to Thomas and his fellow documentarians, that criticism is valid, but bear in mind, they aren’t the focus of the story, either. Meanwhile, Hans is a well-crafted character. At least better than first realized. Before he was introduced, Hans had already grown tired of the troll grind. Fed up with that low compensation for his services, resentful of the bureaucracy, and wanting to expose his employer on a large scale, Hans’ discontent is glaring.
Then there are those finer details about the Troll Hunter, such as that indifference to both the natural splendor of his everyday surroundings and the affections of an obviously smitten colleague, that also suggest some level of despondency. So it is fair to say this movie doesn’t feature any sizable growth for its characters; however, the namesake isn’t underwritten. No doubt, putting a real-life character like Otto Jespersen in that role is partly why Hans is so fascinating—maybe even relatable.
Otto Jespersen as Hans the Troll Hunter.
There is always a small risk whenever using the term “mockumentary” to describe a found-footage movie, as the word could imply humor where there is none. In the case of Troll Hunter, the term’s usage is appropriate. Some folks have claimed the English-dubbed version has the more comedic tone, however, the Norwegian cut isn’t exactly humorless. Apart from the trolls’ absurd appearances, this is a movie where the characters nearly choke on the monsters’ farts, and Christians are like walking targets. Hans’ complete apathy towards everything is another cause of laughter. Overall, the comedy is intentionally dry and inconsistent. Unfunny, though? Absolutely not.
In a movie where endemic creatures are maltreated, as well as disavowed from living freely and peacefully, it’s hard not to notice the ecological message buried beneath the story. In addition to that is the unmistakable political satire. There is this whole business about intrusive and unsightly power lines—like trolls, they’re big blemishes on the land—that leads to what is perhaps the movie’s funniest moment. The scene in question is that one where certain electric lines, the ones secretly being used to keep the trolls at bay, go in a loop and don’t actually send power to any residents. Yet the monitors of said lines don’t find this at all weird. So it stands to reason that Øvredal was having a go at those who accept the government’s doings without question.
Looking past the fact that trolls aren’t actually real, this movie is an enlightening source of information. And not just for international audiences; Norwegians, too, get schooled about their homeland’s own mythology. It’s also evident from everything on screen that Øvredal and his crew were enthusiastic about the topic. The creature designs are the most indicative of that zeal; those imaginative yet myth-accurate manifestations are equally amusing and grotesque. One second you’re laughing at their phallic noses, the next you’re white-knuckling during a hairy sequence. Most surprisingly is how well the trolls’ visual effects hold up after fifteen years. It’s not all spotless, but on the whole, they remain impressive.
Vouching for a mockumentary about trolls isn’t easy, but those who do come around and give it a shot will more than likely be grateful for the recommendation. For Troll Hunter is a real find in that vast and varied genre we call “found footage“.
A bridge troll reaches up for food and finds Hans decked out in armor.
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