Tarsem: where does brilliance end and misguided optimism begin?
When I was getting into advertising one of the biggest directors in the world was an Indian man, enigmatically named Tarsem.
He shot classics like this:
Then he seemed to disappear, occasionally popping up to make less good ads and visually stunning but narratively flawed movies like The Cell:
But he’s still got something. Check out these tiles for his 2009 movie, The Fall:
Beautiful, but do they just prove that his limit is the two-minute stunner?
His latest project is the illegitimate child of 300, Immortals.
It’s been a massive hit that Roger Ebert has called ‘The best looking awful movie you will ever see’:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VdONYkKFmQ
So should Tarsem stick to what he does best or continue to try to spread his wings?
Should any of us?
Is it better to accept your limitations and be the best at what you’re best at, or always strive for greater, further, better in areas where you might never go beyond mediocre?
Maybe it doesn’t matter. I say hats all the way off to Tarsem for making great ads, great title sequences and movies that Roger Eberts isn’t too keen on. So he can’t string a coherent narrative together? He still contributes far more to people’s happiness than 99.9999865% of the planet does.
And I secretly wouldn’t mind watching Immortals (on a plane).
If you don’t try, you’ll never know if you’re shit or a genius.
for personal happiness, ive always been convinced to do what feels right. you can be the best or really good and be unhappy. who decides that you are good or not anyway.
as for tarsem, ive seen an interview with him. he said its all pretty much downhill after the fall. because he put so much time and effort in the fall. interview is on youtube.
maybe ebert is not too fond of violence. neither am i. but im sure immortals is visually stunning. going to see it. just hope its not too much slaughter going on.
It’s so bad you’d walk out.
It’s all relative though, isn’t it?
Most DOPs in London would give their left nut to shoot a decent spot, let alone direct a feature.
It’s about finding and accepting your level. Getting anything made is tricky and the respect levels go up the further up the ladder people climb.
So an industry blog gets a minor doth of the cap, a decent ad gets a begrudging thumbs up, a published novel gets a heartfelt slap on the back and if you crack a feature then you get a good old slippery reach-around.
I wouldn’t mind watching Snakes on a Plane (on a plane).
He should probably shoot more than he has been. But if you’ve ever had to fill an hour of content you realize it’s night and day vs shooting a spot. Tarsem would benefit from directing an episode of Eastenders 😉
Tarsem kisses Roger Ebert in new Benetton poster shock.
I would say that the entirety of The Fall is beautiful, not just the title sequence.