Counter Culture

Certification: 15
Duration: 103 mins
Format: DVD

Subtitles: English; Italian

Reviewed by Jacqueline Sharp

This is an excellent example of how a big budget is not always necessary to provide box office success, or retail and movie rental sales targets!

One From The Heart director Francis Ford Coppola is known internationally for successful movies .such as Peggy Sue Got Married, (1986); Apocalypse Now, (1979) and the Godfather series. He is currently in production with Megalopolis.

This is a first class, thoroughly entertaining and enjoyable movie. It is colourful, unfussy. and you will be amazed by the set which is in true Las Vegas style with its Neon lights. Yet it was filmed entirely on the stages of Zoetrope Studios, Hollywood, California.

I loved the way Francis Ford Coppola played around with the two main characters, Hank, (Frederick Forrest), and Franny, (Teri Garr). He created the illusion of two sets being on screen at the same time. This captured the mood of how Hank, and Franny, were both feeling.

It worked well. For example, Franny calls Hank, and is seen making the call, at the same time we see Hank, also making the same call. Both don’t know that the other is trying to call! Sheer brilliance and well thought out, “two people who could have met, but didn’t, and by sheer coincidence, they missed each other in several scenes by seconds”!

Francis created the illusion for the viewer that they were in a stage theatre, whilst watching this movie. I pinched myself to remind myself that I am watching from the screen.

This is a symbolic film, and paves the way to another dimension in directing. Every director has their own unique style. Some directors come up with ideas that are inspirational and others follow from their predecessors.

The script is neat, tidy, thoughtful, energetic and interesting, but probably a little bit predictable towards the end.

Hank, (Frederick Forrest), and Franny, (Teri Garr), clearly give the film an energy flow. They are the right actors for the parts .

One From The Heart is a truly magnificent movie and will now be one of my all time favourites. It’s quite coincidental that my other all time favourite is another movie I have reviewed last year, Full Moon In Blue Water, also starring Teri Garr. Both movies were low budget, non fussy, with the most magnificent script and acting. It would be great if both of these movies were sold as a two part box set.

I thoroughly recommend this movie it is by far the best I have seen for a very long time. Absolutely wonderful!!!

Finally, I want to just mention that Teri Garr is a person living with Multiple Sclerosis. I would like to take this opportunity to invite you to support her cause and check out the following websites for more information. She is the Ambassador for MS LifeLines, which provided an education and support service for people living with MS and their families in the USA.

Terri has also been Named April 2004 as First National Chair of National MS Society’s Women Against MS Program in the USA.

CREDITS

DIRECTOR

Francis Ford Coppola

SCREENWRITERS