A dead ringer for nothing you've seen before...
Added 2/15/2010
I was drawn to writing this review the way a moth is drawn to a flame: I had to. Director David Cronenberg ('Eastern Promises', 'A History of Violence'), built a cult following with films that were seemingly designed to put off about 70% of the movie going public. The two just listed are his most recent and most accessible efforts. Turn back the clock to 1988. Though 'Dead Ringers' is one of his most polished and unique productions, I'd recommend this movie only to those with adventurous zeal for content and subject, and a substantial dark side.
The story is loosely based on actual events that did indeed involve brilliant twin brothers, who were successful gynecologists. Their occupation was carried over to the movie, so you can understand why Cronenberg had trouble selling the project. The twins also had a very unhealthy relationship, and psychological dependence on each other. Those elements add to and multiply, the strange and obsessive traits that sometimes apply to brilliant people. The brothers are portrayed with a tour de force performance by Jeremy Irons. Before 'Dead Ringers', depicting twins on screen using a single actor, employed techniques that were stilted and visually awkward. But Cronenberg implemented a scheme that is seamless and totally believable. Together with Irons' subtle performance, a technical triumph was achieved.
The world of the Mantle twins was not a happy place, but one ruled by cold, clinical logic, flawlessly applied. When the illogical components of personal identity, sexual confusion and addiction are added to the mix, disaster can't be far removed. Despite the subject matter, the film is elegant to behold, given the classic style of cinematography and set design. I'm in love with the world of film, and therefore have deep admiration for this one. But that doesn't mean it's easy to watch. Two warnings from the Surgeon General: This is not a dinner movie. This is not a first date movie; not if you want a second.
1 out of 1 people found this helpful.
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Not A Horror Movie
Added 2/9/2010
Decided to watch this after finding it on a "The 100 Greatest Horror Movies of all time" list. Not a bad movie, but it is most definitely not a horror film.
0 out of 1 people found this helpful.
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De-synchronization...
Added 12/31/2009
Director, David Cronenberg (RABID, SCANNERS, THE BROOD, VIDEODROME, THE FLY, SPIDER, A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE, EASTERN PROMISES) has put his trademark touch on another cold, dark tale of madness. In DEAD RINGERS, Jeremy Irons plays identical twins, Beverly and Elliot Mantle. The Mantle brothers share everything in life- their careers, women, habits -everything. All is well until Beverly falls in love with an actress named Claire (Genevieve Bujold from COMA). Claire introduces the twins to something quite unexpected and lethal to their bond. She is the only person to come between them in their entire lives. She has no idea just how destructive this will be. Irons is fantastic as Bev / Elliot. I found myself believing that I was actually watching identical, psychologically-conjoined twins! RINGERS is very subtle and builds slowly, especially for a Cronenberg movie. Watch for those bizarre surgical instruments though! They definitely remind you that you're not far from VIDEODROME territory, and that with Cronenberg as your guide, anything can happen...
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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If its a well made, and truly disturbing move you desire, it would be hard to do better than Dead Ringers.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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Dead Ringers
Added 2/2/2009
This one sounded really interesting but the plot develops really slowly so I had already lost interest by the time it started to get interesting.
0 out of 2 people found this helpful.
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A dead ringer for nothing you've seen before...
Added 2/15/2010
I was drawn to writing this review the way a moth is drawn to a flame: I had to. Director David Cronenberg ('Eastern Promises', 'A History of Violence'), built a cult following with films that were seemingly designed to put off about 70% of the movie going public. The two just listed are his most recent and most accessible efforts. Turn back the clock to 1988. Though 'Dead Ringers' is one of his most polished and unique productions, I'd recommend this movie only to those with adventurous zeal for content and subject, and a substantial dark side.
The story is loosely based on actual events that did indeed involve brilliant twin brothers, who were successful gynecologists. Their occupation was carried over to the movie, so you can understand why Cronenberg had trouble selling the project. The twins also had a very unhealthy relationship, and psychological dependence on each other. Those elements add to and multiply, the strange and obsessive traits that sometimes apply to brilliant people. The brothers are portrayed with a tour de force performance by Jeremy Irons. Before 'Dead Ringers', depicting twins on screen using a single actor, employed techniques that were stilted and visually awkward. But Cronenberg implemented a scheme that is seamless and totally believable. Together with Irons' subtle performance, a technical triumph was achieved.
The world of the Mantle twins was not a happy place, but one ruled by cold, clinical logic, flawlessly applied. When the illogical components of personal identity, sexual confusion and addiction are added to the mix, disaster can't be far removed. Despite the subject matter, the film is elegant to behold, given the classic style of cinematography and set design. I'm in love with the world of film, and therefore have deep admiration for this one. But that doesn't mean it's easy to watch. Two warnings from the Surgeon General: This is not a dinner movie. This is not a first date movie; not if you want a second.
1 out of 1 people found this helpful.
|
Not A Horror Movie
Added 2/9/2010
Decided to watch this after finding it on a "The 100 Greatest Horror Movies of all time" list. Not a bad movie, but it is most definitely not a horror film.
0 out of 1 people found this helpful.
|
De-synchronization...
Added 12/31/2009
Director, David Cronenberg (RABID, SCANNERS, THE BROOD, VIDEODROME, THE FLY, SPIDER, A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE, EASTERN PROMISES) has put his trademark touch on another cold, dark tale of madness. In DEAD RINGERS, Jeremy Irons plays identical twins, Beverly and Elliot Mantle. The Mantle brothers share everything in life- their careers, women, habits -everything. All is well until Beverly falls in love with an actress named Claire (Genevieve Bujold from COMA). Claire introduces the twins to something quite unexpected and lethal to their bond. She is the only person to come between them in their entire lives. She has no idea just how destructive this will be. Irons is fantastic as Bev / Elliot. I found myself believing that I was actually watching identical, psychologically-conjoined twins! RINGERS is very subtle and builds slowly, especially for a Cronenberg movie. Watch for those bizarre surgical instruments though! They definitely remind you that you're not far from VIDEODROME territory, and that with Cronenberg as your guide, anything can happen...
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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