Anthony G.

Sabarillo EN 101 A movie review of The Edge of Love Sensory Bombardment

Final Essay Ms. Ana Maria Katigbak

There are movies that are better watched on the silver screen than on television. Yes, it might be fun to have some friends come over your house for popcorn, and to pop in a DVD of a Keira Knightley movie, but the The Edge of Love is no Pirates of the Caribbean (Both films may have Keira Knightley in it, but comparing them may call for a separate essay). This film directed by John Maybury can be best experienced in the cinema, provided that it has a high-resolution screen, and a THX or Dolby-Surround sound system. Although Pirates may also be more entertaining in a movie house, Mayburys work heavily relies on sound effects and images to make the usually hidden interior world of characters exposed to the viewers own senses. This film is loosely based on a period in the life of Welsh poet Dylan Thomas. Yet, since it is generally a fictional take on his years during the Second World War, we cant really categorize it as a movie about Dylan Thomas. Otherwise, it could have been entitled The Welsh Poet and His Craft or Sullen Art. Before the film bombards the senses, the movie spins a partly fabricated and strange web of relationships among four central characters: Dylan (Matthew Rhys), his wife Caitlin (Sienna Miller), his first love Vera Phillips (Keira Knightley), and her husband Army Captain William Killick (Cillian Murphy). Its not entirely true because although the marriages are factual, the extramarital love affairs are not. The oddity of their interpersonal links isnt found in Dylan and Veras passionate past with still glowing embers even after years of being parted. Also, the ensuing torment of Caitlin and

the violent jealousy of William neither perplex nor shock most of us. Moments of bewilderment are less triggered by the films premise of a love-square among married people, than by scenes that show how the characters in this situation behave as if theyre on the edge of reason. One example of this is a scene at a small party right after Vera and Williams wedding. Here, Dylan passionately kisses Vera in front of William and Caitlin. Some of us might think he is either the ultimate crackpot or wants himself murdered by the army captain. And Veras san ity is questionable, since she doesnt mind and is even accommodating to Dylans ardent advan ces. Meanwhile, Caitlin merely dismisses the sight as Dylan and Veras being friends, and both of them being Welsh. The only person in the scene who seems to be thinking straight is William, whose eyes widen in disbelief at his wife and her childhood friends display of affection. Another puzzling account in the film is the intimate friendship that develops between Vera and Caitlin. There is no clear reason how they have become good friends so easily aside from, possibly, the fact that they are both significant in the life of Dylan, and that they have learned how to live with their state of affairs. If only their closeness were better established earlier in the films plot, there would have been no need to add those clips with a quality mimicking that of old home videos, showing Vera and Caitlin running on the beach, and fooling around with each other. These were added in the movies latter part, and seemed like delayed and misplaced reiterations of Vera and Caitlins special bond. But despite the sense of subtle weirdness that can be felt in some parts of the film, there are glimpses to each characters inner turmoil offered by the movie. Here is where the big screen and THX sound system come in. Perhaps, these sights and sounds are used to convince us that these four characters think and feel like normal people after allthat there is something behind their apparent nonchalance on how messed up their love lives are. The film makes good use of audio

and visuals to immerse the audience in the experience of the movie itself, and prevent them from dwelling on the question why Vera and Caitlin seem to be so comfortable sharing a bathtub together. In terms of sound, there is the notable use of Dylan Thomass poems in the movie. Recited by Rhys in appropriate parts of the film, the musical words of the real Dylan reflect the emotions of the films Dylan. While Vera and William, in front of a piano, jokingly sing about the poet, an echoed recording of Rhyss voice plays and devours all the laughter in the scene, And taken by light in her arms at long and dear last/ I may without fail/ Suffer the first vision that set fire to the stars. Even with the stone-faced Thomas onscreen, the audience can feel the repressed envy welling up in him. Veras performances as a singer also reveal her inner feelings. Like in one sad tune she sings, Maybe Ill be left with no love at all, shortly after discovering that Dylan is a married man, and that their past cannot be relived. In this same scene, William seems to see an opportunity to win Veras heart now that she is lonely. Aside from these poems and songs used in the film, there are the haunting noises in Williams head. During the key moments of his interior battles, explosions and faint screams envelop our ears, and trap us together with his lidded yet dangerous envy. Later in the film, falling bombs and guns spitting out bullets harmonize in a symphony as Williams jealousy turns murderous. Visual depictions of different kinds of pain are also showed in the film. A well-edited clip has Williams fellow soldier screaming in agony as his arm is being sawed off. Then the scene changesboth suddenly and smoothlyto let us see a screaming Vera experiencing the pain of childbirth. Sounds of their agony complement each other, and these two scenes work well

together as this particular movie clip jumps from one scene to the other several times. We are left with a sense of both the proximity and distance of Vera and Williams experiences. Another good scene shows Caitlin sobbing as she removes the stitches off her injured forehead. We wonder whether shes crying because of her throbbing wound or of Dylans inability to extinguish his romantic love for Vera. These optical and auditory elements work as sensory metaphors for the characters thoughts and feelings. Set in a time when literal violence ruled over many countries, the film has characters who are in an all-you-can-see-and-hear buffet prepared by the suffering and destruction around them, and they choose and make certain experiences reflections of their own wars inside. By themselves, the cries of maimed civilians and the gunfire of swooping planes may not mean anything else, but on Williams plate, these actual sounds and images may manifest his fear of losing his wife to Dylan. If the poet Ezra Pound were still with us, he would have been pleased. Aside from the mentioned visuals and audio, elements like makeup, costume, cinematography, and music help give the film an overall forties look. The actors appear glamorous in some scenes, but the consistently overcast sky adds gloom to their faces. Considering the bleak and deadly backdrop of World War II in the movie, the characters may not be on the edge of reason after all. The mess of relationships the characters have caught themselves in may just be the fruit of their holding on to dear lifeof relishing every living second that escapes the threat of death. This is perhaps why people in those chaotic times were prone to irrational thinking and (borrowing from a track title in the films soundtrack) careless loving.

Thus, we can say that although the films premise is not completely faithful to the events in Dylan Thomass life during the war, at least the film manages to show us what it is like to see and hear those battles between nations and within people in loveor as the title puts it, on the edge of love. Unfortunately, not everyone will have the chance of watching The Edge of Love in a good cinema where the film can be showed in its best possible resolution and audio. If you missed out on the movie-house screenings, a VCD or DVD copy will do. But if you know anyone with a smashing home theatre system, theres no harm in dropping by for a Keira Knightley movie like this one, and in bringing your copy of Pirates as well.

References: Gandert, Sean. THE EDGE OF LOVE. The Edge of Love :: Film & TV Reviews :: Articles :: Paste. 17 Mar. 2009. Paste Magazine. date retrieved: 25 Mar. 2009 <http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2009/03/the-edge-of-love.html>. MAYBE ITS BECAUSE I LOVE YOU TOO MUCH Lyrics International Lyrics Playground (contributed by Peter Akers). Dec. 2008. International Lyrics Playground. Date retrieved: 25 Mar. 2009 <http://lyricsplayground.com/alpha/songs/m/maybeitsbecauseiloveyoutoomuch.shtml>. Milmo, Cahal. Makers of Dylan Thomas biopic focus on poets tangled love life. Makers of Dylan Thomas biopic focus on poets tangled love life. 12 May 2007. The Independent. date retrieved: 25 Mar. 2009 <http://www.independent.co.uk/artsentertainment/books/news/makers-of-dylan-thomas-biopic-focus-on-poets-tangled-love-life448464.html>.

Squirt. Re: Help on Love In The Asylum Analysis. Online Posting. 05 Apr. 2006. Help on Love In The Asylum Analysis. date retrieved: 25 Mar. 2009 < http://www.emule.com/2poetry/phorum/read.php?6,182929>. The Edge of Love The Official Movie Website. Lionsgate. Date retrieved: 25 Mar. 2009 <http://www.edgeoflove.co.uk/>. The Edge of Love (2008). The Internet Movie Database. date retrieved: 25 Mar. 2009 <http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0819714/>. The Edge of Love (2008). The Internet Movie Database. date retrieved: 25 Mar. 2009 <http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0819714/news#ni0716179>. The Edge Of Love Movie Extras (2008) from Channel 4 Film. Channel 4 Film. date retrieved: 25 Mar. 2009 <http://www.channel4.com/film/reviews/film.jsp?id=167027&section=extras >. You Tube Keira Knightley and Matthew Rhys interview part 1. 20 Jun. 2008. youtube.com. date retrieved: 25 Mar. 2009 <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILbR038-xWA>. You Tube The Edge of Love Clip 4 [NEW, Keira Knightley singing]. 07 Jun. 2008. youtube.com. date retrieved: 25 Mar. 2009 < http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxPobJq2LWY&feature=related>.