reviewed by Chad Smith The Four FREE: That wonderful four-let- tered word we seldom hear. Free film festival tickets in exchange for a written review. I'm game. However, little did | know that free tickets would end up costing so much in the end. October 8, 1999 4:00pmish ECIAD The guy in the Influx office informs me that my tickets are waiting for me at the VIFF headquarters. Neato! 4:45pmish VIFF Headquarters | arrive at the VIFF headquar- ters in Yaletown. | announce to the chick behind the desk that | am here to pick up my free tickets. She frowns and tells me that all the tickets allocated to Influx are gone. Come again? She then gives me a lengthy lecture on how improved on every execution | was quite excited to be see- ing the latest Errol Morris doc- umentary, because | genuinely love, with all of my heart, all of his other films. Usually weird, always quirky; the man seems to have a very erratic range of interests. Previous films have focused on pet cemeteries, a very bizarre red- neck town in Florida, Stephen Hawking and a murder trial (in which Morris’ film succeeded in proving a man's innocence and preventing his execution). His most recent project, Mr. Death; The Rise and Fall of Fred A. Leuchter Jr. continues ni ic | 2 first handedly people at Emily Carr have squandered all their privileges. 5:00pmish Georgia Street Kiosk Since | couldn't get my hands on any free tickets, | decide to trot down to the kiosk and buy my tickets. Young dude behind the desk charges my tickets to another person and for some strange reason he keeps calling me Joanne. Dude behind the counter then tells me that my credit card was declined 3 times. | tell him that it's good because | just used it last week to pur- chase my previous tickets, but _ hero. The f device in use by the American penal system. It all began when Leuchter took note of the messy and sometimes long deaths that took place in the electric chair and took it upon himself to build a better one. After that, everything just seemed to fall into place for him; gas cham- bers, lethal injections, gallows you name it; Fred could find a better way to kill humans. This all may seem pretty grim, but Morris’ technique of allowing the subject to ramble on about themselves until self as some sort of genius, or ination he has: into his mouth and roll eyes. In the end, | wasn’ stars Chiara Mastroianni, the daughter of Marcello Mastroianni and Catherine Deneuve; she is cast alongside Portuguese rock star Pedro Abrunhosa who plays himself. This film is actually a modern adaptation of Madame Lafayette's 17th century novel Princess de Cleves. In both film and novel, Madame de Cleves (who is played by Mastroianni), a noblewoman, is married to an older noble- man whom she does not love. After seeing rock star Pedro tiful pictures. Mr. Death: The Rise and Fall of Fred A. Leuchter Jr. for himself is really very funny, although this is what brings about his downfall. When Canadian holocaust denouncer Ernst Zundel calls upon Leuchter's expertise to go to Aushwitz and disprove the existence of any gas chambers, how could he refuse? Hardly qualified for forensic investigation, but blinded by fame and glory, Fred man- ages at the same time to offend millions and expose himself as a total nincompoop. While Morris does allow him to tell his story from start to finish, this film is hardly objective; Morris gets his digs through editing and sound. For example, the opening sequence of little nerdy Fred surrounded by bolts of electricity, accompanied by music more appropriate for Rocky Balboa, makes him look ridiculous right from the start. | found the first half of this film very funny, and | got quite a kick out of silly Fred made even sillier by Morris’ slyness.. The second act is by no means humorous, but still just as engrossing as we sit in wonder- men t at the depths people can stoop to. Mr. Death paints a d sick view of one man’s very warped "American cial mention goes to cinematographers Peter hue and Robert Richardson for some very stylish and beau- emours in Lafayettes’ novel) perform, scovers that it is him that she truly loves. y, Madame d ves is able to carry through her moth- er's last request. In order to maintain her reputation, she runs off to Africa to become a missionary. All of this is thoroughly explained in a very long letter addressed to her childhood friend, a nun. The lengthy letter which is read at the end of the film warrants the title The Letter. At this point my friend is shifting in his seat and sighing. Once in a while the nun would throw in a,"O Mon Dieu!", in order to keep the audience awake. — This film was rather long but | would guess that a love conflict like this would probably be dealt with less anguish in modern times. For example, | can name plenty of contemporary “noble- women/high profile women" who couldn't maintain their "repu- tation." Vraiment! The Four FREE: That wonderful four-let- tered word we seldom hear. Free film festival tickets in exchange for a written review. \'m game. However, little did | know that free tickets would end up costing so much in the end. October 8, 1999 4:00pmish ECIAD The guy in the Influx office informs me that my tickets are waiting for me at the VIFF headquarters. Neato! 4:45pmish VIFF Headquarters | arrive at the VIFF headquar- ters in Yaletown. | announce to the chick behind the desk that | am here to pick up my free tickets. She frowns and tells me that all the tickets allocated to Influx are gone. ‘Come again? She then gives me a lengthy lecture on how @ 2 Mr. Death: The Rise and Fall of Fred A. Leuchter Jr. reviewed by Chad Smith | was quite excited to be see- ing the latest Errol Morris doc- umentary, because | genuinely love, with all of my heart, all of his other films, Usually weird, always quirky; the man seems to have a very erratic range of interests. Previous films have focused on pet cemeteries, a very bizarre red- neck town in Florida, Stephen Hawking and a murder trial (in Which Morris film succeeded in proving a man’s innocence and preventing his execution). His most recent project, Mr. Death; The Rise and Fall of Fred A. Leuchter Jr. continues this erratic behavior. The first half of the film deals with Leuchter's rise to glory as the man who single-handedly improved on-every execution Letter Word device in use by the American penal system. It all began when Leuchter took note of the messy and sometimes long deaths that took place in the electric chair and took it upon himself to build a better one. After that, everything just seemed to fall into place for him; gas cham- bers, lethal injections, gallows you name it; Fred could find a better way to kill humans. This all may seem pretty grim, but Morris’ technique of allowing the subject to ramble on about themselves until they've said way too much ‘works especially well with Mr Death. You soon begin to realize that Leuchter sees him- self as some sort of genius, or hero. ‘The fascination he has reviewed by Marlene Yuen disorganized Influx is and how. people at Emily Carr have squandered all their privileges. At this point, lam grinding my teeth and pretty soon another fourletiered word pops into my mind and | can assure you that it isn’t FREE this time, 5:00pmish Georgia Street Kiosk Since | couldn't get my hands on any free tickets, | decide to trot down to the kiosk and buy my tickets. Young dude behind the desk charges my tickets to another person and for some strange reason he keeps calling me Joanne. Dude behind the counter then tells me that my credit card was declined 3 times. | tell him that it's good because | just used it last week to pur- chase my previous tickets, but he just stuffs a Kinder Surprise into his mouth and rolls his eyes. In the end, | was able to get some ‘will call’ tickets. October 9, 1999 40:30 amish Robson Square After all that grief, 1 was feel- ing a bit indifferent about see- ing this film, but actually it wasn't bad at all. This film stars Chiara Mastroianni, the daughter of Marcello, Mastroianni and Catherine Deneuve; she is cast alongside Portuguese rock star Pedro Abrunhosa who plays himself. This film is actually a modern adaptation of Madame Lafayette's 17th century novel Princess de Cleves. In both film and novel, Madame de Cleves (who is played by Mastroianni), a noblewoman, is married to an older noble- man whom she does not love. After seeing rock star Pedro for himself is really very funny, although this is what brings about his downfall. When Canadian holocaust denouncer Emst Zundel calls upon Leuchter’s expertise to go to Aushwitz and disprove the existence of any gas chambers, how could he refuse? Hardly qualified for forensic investigation, but blinded by fame and glory, Fred man- ages at the same time to offend millions and expose himself as a total nincompoop. While Morris does allow him to tell his story from start to finish, this film is hardly objective; Morris gets his digs through editing and sound. For example, the opening sequence of little nerdy Fred surrounded by bolts of electricity, accompanied by music more appropriate for Rocky Balboa, makes him look ridiculous right from the start. | found the first half of this film very funny, and I got quite a kick out of silly Fred made even sillier by Morris’ slyness. The second act is by no means humorous, but stil just as engrossing as we sit in wonder- ment at the depths people can stoop to. Mr. Death paints a funny, sad and sick view of one man’s very warped "American Dream". Special mention goes to cinematographers Peter Donahue and Robert Richardson for some very stylish and beau- tiful pictures. ‘Abrunhosa (Prince de Nemours in Lafayettes’ novel) perform, ‘Madame de Cleves discovers that it is him that she truly loves. Ultimately, Madame de Cleves is forced to fulfill her dying moth- er's last request: a noblewoman must maintain her reputation. Many scenes depict Madame de Cleves and Abrunhosa's irre- pressible love in which | also noticed Mastroianni wearing differ- ent fancy hats. For example: In the end Madame de Cleves is able to carry through her moth- e's last request. In order to maintain her reputation, she runs off to Africa to become a missionary. All of this is thoroughly explained in a very long letter addressed to her childhood friend, a nun. The lengthy letter which is read at the end of the film warrants the title The Letter. At this point my friend is shifting in his seat and sighing. Once in a while the nun would throw in a,"O Mon Dieu!", in order to keep the audience awake. This film was rather long but | would guess that a love conflict. like this would probably be dealt with less anguish in modern times. For example, | can name plenty of contemporary *noble- women/high profile women" who couldn't maintain their "repu- tation." Vraiment!