Review of Of Time and the City (2008) by David B — 17 Dec 2010
Goddammit; this film is such a wonderful visual experience but is very nearly ruined by the uber-pretentious sounding narration. Obviously the subject is very close to the filmmaker's heart but couldn't he have kept hidden at least one aspect of his cinematic voice, ie; by literally sparing us from hearing his voice?
After about 15 minutes the images do begin to take over as they wash over you but every now and again we come across a particularly rancid, over-wrought piece of narration and the whole thing almost comes crashing down.
Would have been so much better to have some other native Liverpudlian provide the voice-over, preferably one with a rougher, scouse accent. At least someone who doesn't pronounce the word 'coupon' quite so deliberately, ugh.
Aural/oral distractions aside, this film is both wonderfully uplifting and crushingly sad at the same time. If you're away from home it'll fill you up with waves of nostalgia for your own treasured, bitter-sweet memories of time and places gone-by.
And that's a good thing.
You can get lost in the retrospect, contemplative nature of this piece, if only that almost patronising voice didn't have to keep driving you along when you just want to become saturated by the images that tell their own stories.
This review of Of Time and the City (2008) was written by David B on 17 Dec 2010.
Of Time and the City has generally received positive reviews.
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