Review of Wonderwall (1969) by Stuart K — 06 Feb 2015
Directed by Joe Massot, (Led Zeppelin: The Song Remains the Same (1976) and Space Riders (1988)), adapted from a story by Gérard Brach (Repulsion (1965), Cul-de-sac (1966) and Tess (1979)). This is a very trippy drama which does benefit from some very out-there set design by Dutch design collective The Fool, (who also appear in the film), and most famously, the Indian themed score by George Harrison.
Oscar Collins (Jack MacGowran) is an odd, eccentric professor who keeps to himself, and just gets on with his scientific research with his assistant Perkins (Richard Wattis), he is usually pestered by his landlady Mrs.
Peurofoy (Irene Handl) because he's a bit of a recluse. However, when a pop photographer (Iain Quarrier) and his girlfriend/model Penny Lane (Jane Birkin), move into the flat next door. Oscar discovers he can see her through a hole in the wall separating his flat from their flat.
As he looks through the hole in the wall, he looks in on their photo shoots, and he becomes more drawn and obsessed by Penny and has surreal fantasies. In the hands of anyone else, they could have been a dark thriller, but it isn't here.
It's a trippy film, and while it looks dated, some of the psychedelic sequences are well done and the George Harrison score is sublime. It never got a wide release, and the film, along with the soundtrack, was unavailable for years.
Shame really.
This review of Wonderwall (1969) was written by Stuart K on 06 Feb 2015.
Wonderwall has generally received mixed reviews.
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