Peter Saddler

Commented on Gay As The Sun

Aug 24 at 08:28 AM

Idiotically compelling!  And I whole-heartedly echo the words of TK below, written In Greek? of which I can't read a syllable. I hope it's not insulting. 

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Commented on Gaze In Silence

Jun 29 at 02:51 AM

(Spoiler alert)  Seemingly innocent looking and an ordinary evening, if you say constant cruising by phone is ordinary, the subject matter, a young creep following and filming from bushes and in cracks of windows, is  unpleasant.  If I am interpreting the final climatic shots correctly then the stalker, or the peeping-tom, the psychology of which type is generally thought to be socially inadequate, a pathological isolate, etc, behaves in a totally uncharacteristic and  admirably heroic manner. I didn't believe it for a second, The reality is,  someone who is that disconnected from society,  I'm afraid to say, is far more likely to remain a prurient witness and continue filming rather than reveal his presence and effect a superb rescue, plus for good measure, administering swift  justice on the perpetrator. But it makes a nice, fairy tale ending.  Irritating, very, because the previous fifteen minutes has been filmed entirely realistically.

Commented on The Butch Factor

Jun 29 at 01:52 AM

An excellent and important documentary.

Jun 29 at 12:34 AM

I want to say, "terrific", because it's a well-acted and well-constructed little morality tale, but it's a tad pretentious, I'm sorry but if the director could just have reigned himself in a bit the directing would have been as good as the acting.  That bloody symbolic yellow bottle …!

Commented on Chav

Jun 28 at 11:58 PM

Beautifully done, artistry and sensitivity in every aspect, nothing done for effect, simply honest, direct and very touching.

Jun 23 at 08:04 AM

An entertaining, witty, sexy, sure-footed, comic, morality tale. What the moral is I'm unsure. Incidentally, it is always cheap when reviewers use something from the work itself to make a barbed joke. But I am going to anyway.  This gay club has an unusually accommodating management and cleaning staff considering the number of mature corpses left about on one afternoon, and they bled a lot, so, clearing up would not be tidy.  Finally, and not intending any disparagement of the other actors who all give good performances, the actor playing the "soul-sucker" besides creating a finely judged, villain in the middle of all comedy characters, provided much of the entertainment, by being devastatingly hot.  We watch him like a leather rent-boy, posing outside, one foot behind him against the wall, smoking, silk-scarf knotted at his throat, then the camera stays in close on his face as he leads his victim to his doom. The screen positively pulses with sexual tension etc. or is that just me?

Commented on The Surf Report

Jun 23 at 07:18 AM

This atmospheric and melancholy short is very well made, it has deeply considered choices everywhere, casting, location, music, editing, all feel strong and confident.  But what it actually is I couldn't say, apart from it's very sad.  Perhaps that's what it is, a filmic poem about separation which isn't meant to be comprehensible. Otherwise the conclusion would be that it's compelling but pretentious twaddle which personally, I would not like to conclude as it's not very nice. 

May 23 at 04:56 PM

An affirmation of the human spirit, a story so sad, so hopeless, it transcends criticism.

 

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Replied on Stranger Than Us

May 23 at 03:10 PM

"If you can't say something nice, say nothing."  Sadly, that is lying by omission, and it has never helped me.  So, it will be heart-breaking for any artist to read this review: sincere, passionately well-intentioned, ambitious, and completely lacking in any of the skills required to achieve it.

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Commented on Shanghai Night

May 23 at 02:41 PM

Oh, the perils and responsibilities of being gorgeous!  One problem with a drama with no words is that it invites many words to be written about it.  I shall try to avoid this.   Stylish as it is, everyone involved in this piece, from director, to writer, to actors and designers, can do better.  I hope they have.

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