I think I've already publicly mentioned my preference for scaling Mt. Everest (clad only in a G-string with a single Twinkie for nourishment) over spending a night at the opera peering through lorgnette while listening to portly tenors and heaving-bosom sopranos devote three hours to a story that any halfway decent country and western song (if you'll excuse the oxymoron) could cover in three minutes. Okay, now that I've effectively insulted both highbrow and lowbrow readers in a single longwinded sentence, let's talk Carmen. When I told a colleague that I was preparing to watch Georges Bizet's 1875 Carmen in its original state as pure opera (I'd seen many spin-offs, including Carlos Saura's 1983 feature film), she replied: "well, let's hope Carmen is a hottie and not some fat load," a response that--while admittedly lacking a certain politically-correct sensitivity--hits the critical nail on the interpretive head. Namely, if Carmen does not, in the noted words of those famed sex therapists Steppenwolf, "get your motor runnin'," then her amorous sorties with various tongue-dragging paramours become somewhat implausible.You might think that a 47-year-old Swedish soprano would hesitate before tackling a role traditionally considered to be a an earthy twentysomething Spanish gypsy cigarette girl, but let's give bravos where bravos are due: Anne Sofie von Otter assays the part with just the right mix of humor (especially when she mumbles her lines while lighting a cigar) and sex appeal (she not only practically lapdances on Marcus Haddock, who costars as Don Jose, but at one point sniffs her own armpit and enjoys the heady whiff). For those unfamiliar with the plotline of Carmen, which stage director David McVicar rightly calls "the first musical" thanks to its instantly recognizable tunes, the titular heroine seduces Spanish soldier Don Jose (who is semi-betrothed to proper girl Micaela, played by Lisa Milne), and then drops the military boy toy for the flashy bullfighter Escamillo (Laurent Naouri)…with rather severe repercussions. Handsomely mounted, with colorful costumes, this 2002 Glyndebourne Festival Opera staging benefits from strong performances--particularly the leads--and stellar accompaniment from the London Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Philippe Jordan. DVD extras include nearly an additional hour's worth of featurettes. Sure to be popular, this is highly recommended. Aud: H, C, P. .Taking an entirely different tack, Matthew Bourne's London dance theatre sensation The Car-Man is a dialogue-less, tightly choreographed re-imagining of Bizet's classic that maintains the musical score (jettisoning the libretto), but takes the story in a more The Postman Always Rings Twice-direction, as a sexy drifter named Luca blows into the tiny town of Harmony and takes a job at Dino's Diner & Garage, where the boss's flirtatious wife serves more than just grits, if you catch my meaning. Termed an "auto-erotic thriller," The Car-Man adds a nice bisexual taste and plenty of dirty dancing to stir up the modernized pot, but unfortunately also fails to strike the right balance between a moving and static camera, leaving the viewer frustrated by all the quick cuts. DVD extras include a 14-minute interview with the director. Optional. Aud: P. (R. Pitman)
The Car-Man; Carmen
(2001) 87 min. VHS: $19.98, DVD: $24.99. Image Entertainment (avail. from most distributors). PPR. Color cover. Volume 18, Issue 4
The Car-Man; Carmen
Star Ratings
As of March 2022, Video Librarian has changed from a four-star rating system to a five-star one. This change allows our reviewers to have a wider range of critical viewpoints, as well as to synchronize with Google’s rating structure. This change affects all reviews from March 2022 onwards. All reviews from before this period will still retain their original rating. Future film submissions will be considered our new 1-5 star criteria.
Order From Your Favorite Distributor Today: