Airing last March on Channel 4 in the UK, The Red Riding trilogy (consisting of "1974", "1980" and "1983") finally makes its way to the states this Friday, February 5th. Opening theatrically in NYC, with a big city roll out and "IFC On Demand" in the weeks to come, consider this the first great cinematic event of 2010.
A behemoth British crime production, with top brass behind and in front of the camera, the trilogy is adapted from David Peace's quartet of novels by screenwriter Tony Grisoni (Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas). Each film is helmed by a different director, giving distinct tones, themes and styles to an overarching story of corruption. Any outlet touting this as a "British Zodiac" or just a "Yorkshire Ripper Yarn" is dead wrong. It is so much more than that. The Ripper plot, though important ends up being quite minimal. But more on that later.
Julian Jarrold takes the reigns of the opener "1974"; a neo-noir fever dream of a flick. Rising star, Andrew Garfield plays rookie crime reporter, Eddie Dunford. An arrogant, brash and naive lad, Eddie's game to get to the bottom of a batch of missing girl cases. The Yorkshire police, spearheaded by DCS Bill Molloy (Warren Clarke) and Inspector Maurice Jobson (David Morrissey) want nothing to do with Eddie's wild theories. And what of Sean Bean's John Dawson, a real estate developer... Soon, Eddie's in way over his head, and what starts out as a make-or-break story turns into a personal vendetta when he falls for one of the victim's mothers, played exceptionally by Rebecca Hall. Well cliched stuff to be sure, but it is absolutely mesmerizing, hitting not one false note as we sink ever deeper into this dark, dark world.
Jarrold, a Brit TV main stay in the nineties and the director of the recent theatrical adap. of Brideshead Revisited, really wows here. "1974" is a a brutal, visceral film with some increasingly difficult torture scenes. Garfield, already making a name for himself with his outstanding, fragile performance in Boy A a few years back, carries the entire picture, with a calm yet tenacious passion and a scarred underbelly as a son of the north come home. At times surreal, unnerving and down right frightening, "1974" manages to be a great standalone thriller.
Man on Wire director, James Marsh picks up the reigns for "1980". After Jarrold's film, this is something of a complete 360; It starts out as more of a traditional police procedural with Paddy Considine brought in as an outside detective to handle the infamous Yorkshire Ripper case. Veering close to the 'talking heads' territory of TV, Marsh's film ends up as spin on the classic western motif of do-good outsider digging up the town's dirty little secrets. The seemingly minor police characters of the first film, Molloy, Jobson and Bob Craven (Sean Harris), are revealed to be key players in an ever widening web of corruption.
Anand Tucker's "1983" is a bit more elegant in execution, and a tad more syrupy in melodrama. This finale nonetheless gives us the relief we've so sorely needed after a roller coaster ride through hell, and he does it with an achingly poetic lilt. Mark Addy plays John Piggot, a down on his luck solicitor, who finds himself dealing with the unsolved pieces from the first film. Morrissey's passive, dutiful and totally in denial Inspector Jobson comes front and center here as well.
The fact is I've barely scratched the surface and probably already said too much. I rarely like this kind of story and I was left flat out stunned for the trilogy's 5 hour running time.
The material could have made for a plodding, complicated procedural, bogged down by jargon and facts, losing site of character and mood but no, oh no, no it doesn't go there. This is all undoubtedly thanks to screenwriter, Tony Grisoni, the real glue to this epic.
On one hand he turns in a complex piece on revenge, guilt and redemption. On the other, it is a wonderfully multi-toned and tiered thriller up to par with the likes of The Third Man and Chinatown.
It is also a scathing, deeply affecting social commentary that has more likely than not hit at home in its subject of choice, the North of England; where as many a character cites throughout the films, "we do what we want!"
The trick to all this is that the storytelling itself is lithe, lucid, feverishly hypnotic and passionate without being overly sentimental or sappy. Grisoni did omit "1977", the second book in Peace's series, but it is arguably not needed here for the full effect.
Though just a month into the new year, I don't see the Red Riding trilogy being knocked out of my top ten come December. It is just that brilliant, especially with Jarrold's "1974" pretty much being his first masterpiece. As a whole, the trilogy offers that rare cinematic experience where an entire world unfolds deftly before the eyes; dazzling and drowning in dread, giving a faint sliver of hope in a seemingly forever waking nightmare. It is without a doubt one of the best British productions in the last two decades, and a true testament to film noir.
IFC will be showing the entire trilogy "Roadshow" style under one admission ticket (with intermissions) for the first week of its run in NYC. I can't stress enough to locals; do yourself a favor, take the day off and see it this way.
A behemoth British crime production, with top brass behind and in front of the camera, the trilogy is adapted from David Peace's quartet of novels by screenwriter Tony Grisoni (Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas). Each film is helmed by a different director, giving distinct tones, themes and styles to an overarching story of corruption. Any outlet touting this as a "British Zodiac" or just a "Yorkshire Ripper Yarn" is dead wrong. It is so much more than that. The Ripper plot, though important ends up being quite minimal. But more on that later.
Julian Jarrold takes the reigns of the opener "1974"; a neo-noir fever dream of a flick. Rising star, Andrew Garfield plays rookie crime reporter, Eddie Dunford. An arrogant, brash and naive lad, Eddie's game to get to the bottom of a batch of missing girl cases. The Yorkshire police, spearheaded by DCS Bill Molloy (Warren Clarke) and Inspector Maurice Jobson (David Morrissey) want nothing to do with Eddie's wild theories. And what of Sean Bean's John Dawson, a real estate developer... Soon, Eddie's in way over his head, and what starts out as a make-or-break story turns into a personal vendetta when he falls for one of the victim's mothers, played exceptionally by Rebecca Hall. Well cliched stuff to be sure, but it is absolutely mesmerizing, hitting not one false note as we sink ever deeper into this dark, dark world.
Jarrold, a Brit TV main stay in the nineties and the director of the recent theatrical adap. of Brideshead Revisited, really wows here. "1974" is a a brutal, visceral film with some increasingly difficult torture scenes. Garfield, already making a name for himself with his outstanding, fragile performance in Boy A a few years back, carries the entire picture, with a calm yet tenacious passion and a scarred underbelly as a son of the north come home. At times surreal, unnerving and down right frightening, "1974" manages to be a great standalone thriller.
Man on Wire director, James Marsh picks up the reigns for "1980". After Jarrold's film, this is something of a complete 360; It starts out as more of a traditional police procedural with Paddy Considine brought in as an outside detective to handle the infamous Yorkshire Ripper case. Veering close to the 'talking heads' territory of TV, Marsh's film ends up as spin on the classic western motif of do-good outsider digging up the town's dirty little secrets. The seemingly minor police characters of the first film, Molloy, Jobson and Bob Craven (Sean Harris), are revealed to be key players in an ever widening web of corruption.
Anand Tucker's "1983" is a bit more elegant in execution, and a tad more syrupy in melodrama. This finale nonetheless gives us the relief we've so sorely needed after a roller coaster ride through hell, and he does it with an achingly poetic lilt. Mark Addy plays John Piggot, a down on his luck solicitor, who finds himself dealing with the unsolved pieces from the first film. Morrissey's passive, dutiful and totally in denial Inspector Jobson comes front and center here as well.
The fact is I've barely scratched the surface and probably already said too much. I rarely like this kind of story and I was left flat out stunned for the trilogy's 5 hour running time.
The material could have made for a plodding, complicated procedural, bogged down by jargon and facts, losing site of character and mood but no, oh no, no it doesn't go there. This is all undoubtedly thanks to screenwriter, Tony Grisoni, the real glue to this epic.
On one hand he turns in a complex piece on revenge, guilt and redemption. On the other, it is a wonderfully multi-toned and tiered thriller up to par with the likes of The Third Man and Chinatown.
It is also a scathing, deeply affecting social commentary that has more likely than not hit at home in its subject of choice, the North of England; where as many a character cites throughout the films, "we do what we want!"
The trick to all this is that the storytelling itself is lithe, lucid, feverishly hypnotic and passionate without being overly sentimental or sappy. Grisoni did omit "1977", the second book in Peace's series, but it is arguably not needed here for the full effect.
Though just a month into the new year, I don't see the Red Riding trilogy being knocked out of my top ten come December. It is just that brilliant, especially with Jarrold's "1974" pretty much being his first masterpiece. As a whole, the trilogy offers that rare cinematic experience where an entire world unfolds deftly before the eyes; dazzling and drowning in dread, giving a faint sliver of hope in a seemingly forever waking nightmare. It is without a doubt one of the best British productions in the last two decades, and a true testament to film noir.
IFC will be showing the entire trilogy "Roadshow" style under one admission ticket (with intermissions) for the first week of its run in NYC. I can't stress enough to locals; do yourself a favor, take the day off and see it this way.
Oh wow. sounds fascinating, Ben.
I feel ashamed that I haven't heard of it before!
Thanks.
Thanks - I also like yours. Difficult to know how to review a trilogy, and I think you took a better approach...
Can't wait to have the 3 DVDs box in March!!!!
Both reviews are quite good. I find the trilogy to work more in a fashion of say LA Confidential and Zodiac. And, yes, to some extent for it's labrythine plot Chinatown or The Third Man. Particularly LA Confidential for the extent of internal corruption within the police force.
Grisoni must be commended for the manner in which he went about dealing with Peace's quartet of novels. In a way it reminds me of Helgeland and Hanson's approach to Ellroy's LA Confidential. Grisoni had to tailor some of the film's characters as composites from the novels, had to pare down a wealth of information and plot threads. He really did a masterful job and the three directors executed.
The trilogy of films is exceptionally well acted. They are expertly constructed films. You forget that these films were made for UK television. I felt the pacing was great for each film. Each had its own tone and emphasis on specific aspects. Only a couple times I felt there were hitches involving flashbacks. An example being Piggot's vision of his dead father during 1983.
Although I feel the child-murder mystery that plays a far larger role than the Yorkshire Ripper case is a weak mystery at best, how information is meted out involving the various characters and their ties to certain cases, internal affairs, cover-ups and business is a sight to behold. A few minutes of detail in 1974 impacts tremendously in 1980 and 1983 and so forth.