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Movies You May Not Have Seen #1
Talked with my sister last night and found out what they're going to do treatment-wise, and it's so depressing and hopeless that I can hardly talk. So I'm working on my "My twin sister is going to die" denial-mastery by pretending I care about other things. So I thought I would do my first Movies You May Not Have Seen recommendation today, because it feels like a fitting movie to talk about with these emotions.
The Navigator is a 1989 film from New Zealand that many people seem to confuse with the treacly Disney movie from around the same time called Flight of the Navigator. It probably hasn't been helped by the fact that The Navigator has been tagged, especially in North America, with numerous subtitles that don't seem to help sell people on its brilliance. It appears to have three separate titles, one of which was on the old VHS tape "A Medieval Adventure" and another of which has been tagged on to the DVD -- "A Time-Travel Adventure." When it came out in theatres here, it was just plain ol' The Navigator, and I think the subtitles make it sound cheesy, which doesn't do it much service when the cover is also kind of crappy and won't pop out at someone on the shelf.
This is a brilliant small movie that uses both black and white and color film to tell a story of a small village in 14th-century Cumbria so terrified of the coming plague that they are willing to follow the visions of a young boy (played by Hamish McFarlane in a surprisingly self-assured performance) to do the impossible in the hopes it may protect them from "the Death." He sees them tunneling (they are miners) through to the other side of the world, and raising the tallest spire in Christendom -- their effort of which will reward them with an escape from the plague. They do manage to tunnel through to the other side: modern New Zealand, complete with cars, trains, television, and even a nuclear sub. Their adventures are often funny as they try to navigate this bizarre, terrifying landscape, but it gradually turns darker as Griffin, the boy, begins to understand what the pieces of his vision mean.
There's a brief glimpse of Griffin viewing the world-famous television commercial from Down Under about AIDS, where Death is bowling people down. This is a significant moment because Griffin recognizes who Death is alone among all the images he sees in modern times; in his limited learning, of course, images like the figure of Death play a significant role. It's also important because the film can be seen as a metaphor for the desperate, uninformed fight to protect ourselves against a modern plague.
But it's not as high-handed as that makes it sound: it's a visually breathtaking movie (anyone who's seen Vincent Ward's other major film, What Dreams May Come, will know what an amazing visual stylist he is) with a core tale of adventure both modern and historical, and mysticism. Griffin's adoration of his brother Connor frames the story; it's Connor's adventuring that informs the village of the plague sweeping their way, and also what makes them believe they're capable of raising the spire in the first place. Unfortunately the only disc available in North America that I know of comes from a small distributor called Hen's Tooth Video, and the print is not widescreen, so we lose a great deal of the larger beauty of the film; it's also clearly made from a VHS tape, possibly not even a video master, so it's filled with flaws. With a movie so small and unnoticed (it was a big art-house hit in Seattle, but not many other places), I should be grateful to have it at all on DVD, but... something this striking should be treated better. I don't know if it has been Down Under, but I hope so. The soundtrack, however, is not marred -- it's an incredible, haunting mix of chanting, modern-day symphonic styles, ambient sounds, and gorgeous, lyrical singing.
There will be people who will gripe about its downbeat ending, I'm sure, but I think those people might be missing the core message of the movie -- that even in the face of terrifying odds, faith and vision can help us fight back, can help us survive as a community of people. And that love can bring both wonder and dread.
The Navigator is a 1989 film from New Zealand that many people seem to confuse with the treacly Disney movie from around the same time called Flight of the Navigator. It probably hasn't been helped by the fact that The Navigator has been tagged, especially in North America, with numerous subtitles that don't seem to help sell people on its brilliance. It appears to have three separate titles, one of which was on the old VHS tape "A Medieval Adventure" and another of which has been tagged on to the DVD -- "A Time-Travel Adventure." When it came out in theatres here, it was just plain ol' The Navigator, and I think the subtitles make it sound cheesy, which doesn't do it much service when the cover is also kind of crappy and won't pop out at someone on the shelf.
This is a brilliant small movie that uses both black and white and color film to tell a story of a small village in 14th-century Cumbria so terrified of the coming plague that they are willing to follow the visions of a young boy (played by Hamish McFarlane in a surprisingly self-assured performance) to do the impossible in the hopes it may protect them from "the Death." He sees them tunneling (they are miners) through to the other side of the world, and raising the tallest spire in Christendom -- their effort of which will reward them with an escape from the plague. They do manage to tunnel through to the other side: modern New Zealand, complete with cars, trains, television, and even a nuclear sub. Their adventures are often funny as they try to navigate this bizarre, terrifying landscape, but it gradually turns darker as Griffin, the boy, begins to understand what the pieces of his vision mean.
There's a brief glimpse of Griffin viewing the world-famous television commercial from Down Under about AIDS, where Death is bowling people down. This is a significant moment because Griffin recognizes who Death is alone among all the images he sees in modern times; in his limited learning, of course, images like the figure of Death play a significant role. It's also important because the film can be seen as a metaphor for the desperate, uninformed fight to protect ourselves against a modern plague.
But it's not as high-handed as that makes it sound: it's a visually breathtaking movie (anyone who's seen Vincent Ward's other major film, What Dreams May Come, will know what an amazing visual stylist he is) with a core tale of adventure both modern and historical, and mysticism. Griffin's adoration of his brother Connor frames the story; it's Connor's adventuring that informs the village of the plague sweeping their way, and also what makes them believe they're capable of raising the spire in the first place. Unfortunately the only disc available in North America that I know of comes from a small distributor called Hen's Tooth Video, and the print is not widescreen, so we lose a great deal of the larger beauty of the film; it's also clearly made from a VHS tape, possibly not even a video master, so it's filled with flaws. With a movie so small and unnoticed (it was a big art-house hit in Seattle, but not many other places), I should be grateful to have it at all on DVD, but... something this striking should be treated better. I don't know if it has been Down Under, but I hope so. The soundtrack, however, is not marred -- it's an incredible, haunting mix of chanting, modern-day symphonic styles, ambient sounds, and gorgeous, lyrical singing.
There will be people who will gripe about its downbeat ending, I'm sure, but I think those people might be missing the core message of the movie -- that even in the face of terrifying odds, faith and vision can help us fight back, can help us survive as a community of people. And that love can bring both wonder and dread.
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I loved this movie when you and Jo showed it to me a couple of years ago. Great recommendation.
I did do a search on it. It does still seem to be only available via the Hen's Tooth Video version, so no luck there. The disc is available through Netflix, for those who want to rent it through there. (Also, they should make note not to confuse it not only with "The Flight of the Navigator," but the Buster Keaton movie also called "The Navigator.")
And it is available on DVD in Australia: http://www.totaldvd.com.au/shopping/catadvd.asp?id=12041.
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(PS, let me know if you'd like to get out of the house and get some chai sometime.)
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If we want to muddle through a time and date, my email is mohmlet (at) gmail.
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Ah, I've been there too. You'll both be in my thoughts.
Re: The Navigator. Hey, I've actually seen that one! And I'd actually like to see it again, because I watched it in a college class, and I don't remember it very well. The imagery has stuck with me, though.
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I think that's the big power of the movie -- even people who barely remember anything about it remember how solid the imagery was. It's not a good disc, but it's still better than a noisy videotape, and it's at least something to show to people and say, see! see!
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Of course, I remembered the movie's premise but NOT the title.
Woot! Will go a-hunting now.
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See that? That's my jaw dropping. For so very long I've been the only person I know who's ever seen this movie! And I do love it so.
I was working in a small, one screen art house when it came out, and so got to watch it a lot of times. Thinking about it, I don't know if I could watch a pan'n'scan, badly dubbed version of it, because the striking visuals are still so clear in my mind, even after all this time.
Yes, to everything you've said, especially the soundtrack--which I think I still have on cassette somewhere (thank god for press kits!).
This movie haunted me for days after I first saw it.
Interestingly enough, while I worked at that theatre, this is the only movie I remember anyone walking out on.
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Why on earth would anyone walk out of that movie? It's lovely -- how could you get annoyed enough to walk out?
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"I just wish I could pimp it enough so that so many people would want it that a good distributor would strike a new print for a disc and make a new master."
I wonder how many people that would take...
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And, *hugs*
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I spent so much time thinking about that movie... there were large bits I don't think I ever really understood. I'd love to see it again. I wonder if it's available on DVD abroad ...
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It's cool to find so many people who've liked it. I think that's going to be one of the funner things about writing about obscure movies -- meeting people who have seen them. And, of course, if I can get even a couple people to try out something I love, that always makes me unbelievably happy. I get so weirdly excited when I can share things.
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So thanks :-)
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I saw a great movie this afternoon--Blow
JobDry. It's got Alan Rickman. Need I say more?no subject
And sorry for your news about you sister. I don't have any good words to say but know that I light a candle in church every Sunday for my friends of the heart. If it's not too presumptious, you are one of them.
namaste SF Nancy
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