Edinburgh - Day Five

Chris Tilly checks out Joss Whedon's 'Serenity' and attends a special masterclass by Thelma Schoonmaker.

Aug 25 2005

Time Out oversleeps this morning, nearly missing the critic's screening of 'Serenity', which would be a crime considering the amount of hype surrounding the film at this year’s festival.

The celluloid reincarnation of Joss Whedon's cancelled TV show 'Firefly', the film has been generating buzz ever since its Edinburgh premiere was announced, and tickets for the few public screenings sold out in a matter of minutes.

But what of the film itself we hear you cry…well, as a well-known advert often proclaims, it does exactly what it says on the tin.

From the off, it feels like you've stumbled into the middle of an expensive, extended slice of TV action, meaning that those unfamiliar with 'Firefly' will struggle to understand just what in the name of Zeus the characters are talking about.

A prologue explains some of the back story, but the amount of exposition packed into the first hour left me and my journalist colleagues confused, frustrated and at times, ever so slightly bored.

Similarly, the action and plot have an all too familiar feel, as if the creators stuck 'Star Wars', 'Star Trek' and umpteen other 'westerns in space' into a melting pot to create the perfect sci-fi hybrid.

That said, the fact that the actors all worked on the aforementioned series means that there's a nice sense of camaraderie amongst the film's disparate cast of characters, and Whedon certainly has a fine ear for dialogue, with 'Serenity' possessing more good one-liners than any other film we've seen this year.

Nevertheless, smart put-downs do not a great sci-fi make, and 'Serenity' seems like the kind of film that will split audiences down the middle, stirring those that are already fans of the franchise but leaving non-believers distinctly unmoved.

Following that mild disappointment, TO then proceeds to another of the festival's most eagerly anticipated events, namely the Reel Life talk from Thelma Schoonmaker.

Already a legend in her own lifetime, having edited the bulk of Martin Scorsese's films for the last 20 years, Schoonmaker isn't in Edinburgh to talk about herself however, but rather to discuss the work of her late husband, Michael Powell.

Director of such classics as 'A Matter of Life and Death', 'The Red Shoes', 'Black Narcissus' and 'Peeping Tom', 2005 marks the 100th anniversary of his birth, and Schoonmaker's wonderful presentation proves to be a fitting celebration of a remarkable career.

Discussing everything from his use of sound and doubles to his careful selection of cast, she punctuates her points with wonderful clips from Powell's timeless classics, with selected scenes from 'The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp' proving particularly popular with the audience.

Schoonmaker also uses snatches from 'Raging Bull' and 'GoodFellas' to illustrate just how extensively Powell has influenced and informed Scorsese's work throughout the years.

An unforgettable event, the 100-minute masterclass proves to be the highlight of this, or any other festival; an emotional insight into the life and times of one of cinema's true greats.

• 
•