Sunday, October 09, 2005
Beyond the Sea
- Who's watched: M & G
- Mentions: *1*
- Commentary: I bought this sight unseen based on television previews. Although I don't have a fascination with Bobby Darin, I do have a fascination with the song of the movie title and I love watching Kevin Spacey do a tour de force. Mom enjoyed the fairy tale quality of the story, was pleasantly surprised at the constant introduction of the kid, but thought that the nasty marriage backstory could have been dumped. I thought Kate Bosworth was amazing as Sandra Dee. My only complaint has to do with aesthetics. I remember when Sandra Dee was a star. I wasn't in the age group that revered her, I was a little too young, but my older sister was, and bought the magazines that featured her and such celebrities as Bobby Darin, Troy Donahue, the Nelson brothers, etc. I also have an acute memory of style from that period, because I hated it so. In this movie, Kate Bosworth's hair is softly tousled, à la some decades later. Her clothes are are swishy and loose fitting, considering the style. Her make-up was airy and light. Let me tell you, Sandra Dee's hair was fashioned and sprayed into tightly coiffed helmet, even when it was long and appeared to be "flowing". There was no tousling about it. Her bodices were tight and she appeared to be corseted underneath. Her breasts were encased in the padded cones that were so popular in that era. Her make-up was thick and obvious, as befitted the fashion of the times. It was, specifically, the fashion that encased Sandra Dee and her female peers against which my peer rebelled. My guess is that the movie wouldn't have been as big a hit if the costuming and make-up departments had gotten it absolutely right. I'm sure, in fact, that they were aware of what they were rejecting. The standard of glamour in those days looks silly and pretentious, now. But, yes, that was Sandra Dee's standard of glamour.
This movie is not easy to watch. It's hard to forget that Darin died at the age of 37 and Spacey is older than that as he plays Darin. He also does an amazing job as Bobby Darin but, as I watch the movie, I keep wondering why, why does it exist? A special feature, of course, explains that Spacey has been possessed by the spirit of Darin for a long time. This may be true, but, in that case, it seems as though a better movie could have been made if the making of it hadn't been rushed. Not that I have any information that tells me it was. It just seems to have been. And, yet, I'm a little possessed by the spirit in Darin's singing, at least, too. I have mp3 copies of a couple of his songs, including the one after which this movie was named and "Mack the Knife". Darin's is my all time favorite rendition of this song. I never really liked night club singing much, was never a fan of Sinatra, Martin, Davis Jr., Martino, any of those singers or, later, the Michael Bublé/Harry Connick, Jr. crowd. But, for a lot of complicated reasons, I don't consider watching this movie a waste of time. I even got rid of it, once, then bought it, again.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Kevin Spacey Bobby Darin William Ullrich Young Bobby Kate Bosworth Sandra Dee Bob Hoskins Charlie Maffia John Goodman Stephen Blauner Brenda Blethyn Polly Cassotto Caroline Aaron Nina Cassotto Maffia Greta Scacchi Mary Douvan
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 2004
Directed by Kevin Spacey.
Labels: biography2, musical2, popcorn-and-soda5
