Nature Morte (2007)
Review by The Angry Princess
I must admit a very important detail about Nature Morte, an independent film from director Paul Burrows – I didn’t really understand it. It’s very retro yet somehow still has modern qualities. There were amazing uses of color during certain scenes that demanded you to appreciate its beauty, particularly during a sex scene set during a storm and during a sunset behind the beach.
John Stephensen (Romain Roll), who is believed to be an infamous serial killer, is found lying with his head blown off next to his latest victim, who has been stripped, tied up, tortured and killed. Stephensen used the blood spilt from his victims in his paintings. Oliver Davenport (Troy McFadden), an art connoisseur, becomes fixated with Stephensen’s works and wants to own his very own piece of the madman’s art.
Suddenly, new paintings are showing up and they are proven to be done by the same hand as the serial killer. Davenport is called to assist the French police in their investigation of Stephensen’s paintings and it turns out a man named Lec (Laurent Guyon) is the artist who actually created them. While meeting with the elusive Lec and his loyal lover Blanche (Carole Derrien), Davenport begins to hang out and excessively party with them. Soon, the beauty of Lec’s paintings starts to blind Davenport and he refuses to see past it to the hard truth. You wonder where Davenport’s head is during his awkward journey as he begins losing his wits and his life spirals out of control.
Watching Nature Morte was complicated because it was hard to make sense of all that was going on. The only thing that I was positive of was the fact that someone was murdering women and painting with their bright, beautiful red blood and that Davenport was absolutely obsessed with the couple of Lec and Blanche. If I didn’t have the press release booklet to leaf through I would have been completely lost.
Filmmaker Paul Burrows said he wanted to make a film that he himself would enjoy watching. He wanted a movie that had dark elements but not a flat out horror movie. This is definitely a complicated, dark and psychological film, but not one that everyone will enjoy.
Nature Morte was filmed in Thailand, France and the UK. The film’s amazing soundtrack was created by Arban and Steven Severin. Nature Morte is the second major film that they have worked on together and their score fits perfectly within each scene, giving it depth and breadth. As for Burrows, he likes things dark and complex and plans on making another movie called The Torture Slide in the near future.
Nature Morte (French for “Dead Nature”) requires your full attention and it’s not recommended you get up to pee or take a smoke break while this film is doing its thing, lest you be lost wandering around Never-Never land unable to find your way home.
Artsy types will be delighted to feast their peeps on this stylish and unforgettable film. Others might like to try their luck with it and test their skills of putting together this very abstract puzzle. I warn you, though, it is not the easiest of feats and you will be putting your brain to good use.
Nature Morte – Official Site
Nature Morte on Myspace
Popularity: 2% [?]
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