British
writer-director Mike Hodges has a reputation that’s a bit like film industry
legend Orson Welles in that after having one critical and commercial smash hit
the remainder of the filmmaker’s career was beset by preproduction and/or postproduction
problems. Aside from his first success Get
Carter and his science-fiction classic Flash Gordon, Mike Hodges
never seemed to get a break. While
unsurprising given the often uncategorizable nature of his works (Pulp
being no exception), that much of Hodges’ career is plagued with misfortune is
a shame as he remains one of the more eccentric and enigmatic voices in film
yet to be fully rediscovered by the public.
One
of his best films, rescued from cinematic purgatory from Arrow Video, is the
1989 genre bending and difficult to categorize ensemble thriller Black
Rainbow. Previously dumped on Showtime
by Miramax after mixed reactions from test screenings, the film was more or
less forgotten until now. As such the
film is a clandestine, offbeat little supernatural drama featuring strong
central performances from the ensemble cast with many unexpected surprises
ahead, leaving you blindsided and yearning for more even after the end credits
finish rolling.
Set
in Charlotte, North Carolina, this cross-cutting narrative told largely in
flashback follows reporter Gary Wallace (Tom Hulce from Amadeus) trailing
a potentially hot story involving traveling psychic Martha Travis (Rosanna Arquette)
and her domineering boozing father Walter (Jason Robards). After a séance seemingly predicts the
impending death of the husband of an audience member, a chain of events is set
in motion involving a dangerous assassin, political intrigue echoing the
fascist commentary in Pulp and just enough of the otherworldly to confuse
your perception.
The
first thing one notices watching Black Rainbow unfurl is the
cinematography by Gerry Fisher (Highlander) which is colorful in a peculiar
mixture of vivid neon-fluorescent and bleeding deep reds. There isn’t a film out there with a color scheme
quite like this one which begs the question why a film as visually inventive as
this didn’t garner a big screen release.
Also eccentric is the score composed and conducted by John Scott,
leaning towards Southern gospel and gothic horror. From the beginning, as the opening credits
roll to Scott’s music, you’re not exactly sure what you’re in for.
Then
come the performances which are mostly carried by Rosanna Arquette. Already a terrific actress for her work with
Martin Scorsese, Arquette takes the strange role of withdrawn (and sex starved)
clairvoyant as far as she can, creating a character that’s frail, sympathetic
and oddly fearsome in her own manner.
Robards is overqualified as Martha’s alcoholic father, playing a role he’s
more or less sleepwalked in the past.
Hulce proves to be a strong lead in the role of an impersonal reporter
who gets in over his head though his best role will always be Wolfgang Amadeus
Mozart.
At
times this lean and mean indie has more genre-bending crossroads than, say,
Brian De Palma’s The Fury with the disparate elements threatening to
pull the film apart. Though this dark
pond of a film seems a bit murky once you step into it, the offbeat genre
cocktail served up here proves to be an inspired little number you can’t quite put
your finger on but don’t mind being confused by either. Oddball but always interesting and well worth
your time even if it doesn’t precisely fit into any set niche.
--Andrew Kotwicki
