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By
WAYNE KLEIN
Although "The Company" might seem an odd choice for director Robert Altman ("MASH," "The Player") to make, it fits in with his working style as a director and acts as something of a metaphor for his career as a director. If this is the last film he directs, it would be an apt film to close a career build on the unexpected, ensemble collaboration and the passion to make art. Altman doesn't make films so much as he coordinates and corrals the talent of those involved. Sure, he directs with a deft hand and is the benign king of his celluloid land, but he uses the process he developed in the theater and directing television to get the most out of his actors. His belief that collaboration makes the project richer than one man's (or woman's) vision has been unique in Hollywood but has had a profound effect on independent film directors everywhere. It's a European sensibility applied to an American art form.
"The Company" follows a fictional Chicago ballet troupe has they struggle with a particular piece. Their difficult and Diva like artistic director Alberto Antonelli (McDowell giving, yet again, an underrated and terrific performance) digs in to each member trying to pull the best out of each one while also operating as something of a father confessor. Campbell (who also co-produced and co-wrote the story the screenplay is based on) plays Ry a talented member of the troop who McDowell feels isn't giving her all to the dance they are rehearsing. She's on the verge of becoming a principal performer in the troupe. Ry tries to reconcile the difficult world of her professional life which offers her so much potential with her personal which offers her a life outside of dance. Franco is her boyfriend Josh who recognizes the passion of Ry's dream and importance of dance to her life, while also wanting to maintain a sense of normalcy in their relationship.
Altman's films always have been about surface vs. reality. He's always focused on the absurdity of the real world and the "performances" we must put on to survive the constant bombardment of insanity. Altman sees performance—whether it's acting or interacting with others—as our means to take the snippets of chaos in the world and put them into some sort of rational order. "The Company," although it isn't his best film, clings to those themes and Altman turns out a very good, accomplished picture as a result.
Beautifully rendered on DVD, "The Company" looks exceptional. For those of you who hate widescreen DVDs because of the matte at the top and bottom of the frame, keep in mind that you'd miss much of the brilliant choreography if the picture were blown up to fill the television screen. As always, "The Company" uses colors and the camera well and this DVD doesn't disappoint in rendering the clarity of the image and rich tones of the colors throughout the film. The sound with its rich mixture of Bach, Richard Roders, Camille Saint-Saens and contemporary composer Angelo Badalmenti dances from speaker to speaker using the 5.1 format fairly well. Van Dyke Park's (who has worked both as a solo songwriter/singer and in collaboration with Brian Wilson, Harry Nilsson and many others) evocative score subtly adds to the tension and drama of the film.
An informative and interesting pair of featurettes is included here. Of the two, "The Passion of Dance" is the more interesting and better of the two as it ventures outside the world of the film. "The Making of ‘The Company' " looks at Altman's onset working methods, gives us a behind-the-scenes peak at the interaction of Altman with his ensemble cast and also has some important thoughts from co-producer/star Campbell as well. Since Campbell got her start as a ballet dancer, her comments are particularly important and telling about the world of dance and the parallel struggles of acting.
For ballet fans the extended dance sequences will be heaven. Working with a group of gifted dancers from the Joffrey Ballet, Altman and the choreography have constructed a series of brilliant dance sequences unique to American film. Altman's decisions on how to shoot the dance also figure in this as well because we get to see the dance without it looking simply like a photographed performance. The dance sequences are also accessible separately through another menu, which for ballet fans is a big bonus. We also get a variety of theatrical previews.
Altman and Campbell make a perfect commentary tag team. Altman makes some wry observations about cinema and how he attempted to make "The Company" more cinematic without destroying the impact of the performances in the film. Campbell's comments particularly those about the difficult ballet sequences and the interaction with her fellow performers provides a unique perspective on the film. The fact that she co-authored the original story and produced the picture also makes her as much the "author" of the film as director/producer Altman. It's a unique and inspired collaboration.
A beautiful looking and inventive film, "The Company" doesn't reach the heights of Altman's best work but it is a fine film. The performances by the Joffrey Ballet, Campbell and the actors in the film are all heartfelt and true. Altman's direction avoids the static look of many films that have focused on dance. His background in theater, television and film made him uniquely qualified to make this film. That, along with the fact, that it deals with themes and a working method common to Altman's other films allows him to give his all as a director. |
